100 Stars in the Sky
by Dawnfire11
Summary: 100 oneshots as a response to Spookisapuppy's 100 themes challenge. 26- Tears:The letter was short and to the point, giving him no time to prepare himself. He held the paper in trembling hands, eyes staring down at the words that were scrawled on the page. We are sorry... condolences... honorable death... funeral... Warning: Minor character death, emotional angst.
1. Introduction

**A/N: This is my response to Spookisapuppy's 100 Themes challenge! I have always wanted to do this, and today, I finally started! YAY!**

**Note: This is how I organize my stories. **

**Blah- **Authors note

Blah- Story

"Blah,"- speech… someone is physically saying something.

_Blah- _thoughts

**I hope that helps you navigate this a little better. If anything is confusing just pop me a review. =P**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice…. No matter how hard I dream….**

* * *

1: Introduction

_This time I have him! _Gilan thought excitedly. _I have thought of everything! It's a perfect plan. _

Overconfidence: The first warning that his plan wouldn't work out the way he thought it would.

He rode atop Blaze, being very careful that his gait matched the sound of the hoof beats ahead. The horse they were following changed pace suddenly and Gilan nudged Blaze lightly hoping he had been fast enough so that Halt would not notice. _It's okay. This plan is flawless…. I haven't forgotten anything! _He told himself.

But there was something he had forgotten wasn't there?

Doubt: The second warning that something was not right.

He shook off the feeling and just rode ahead. When he felt he was close enough, he quickly got off Blaze and ran silently into the trees. He stumbled a few times in his haste.

Haste: The third warning that his plan was flawed.

Gilan rose out of the trees, approaching Halt with a triumphant grin on his face. Halt was kneeling on the ground, looking for signs of tracks.

"Halt! Halt!" he cried. Halt rose from his kneeling position turning slowly, seemingly unsurprised that his apprentice had followed him.

"Well, Gilan. You're still trying that old trick?" Halt asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on, Halt. This time I got the best of you!" Gilan said, grinning.

"But tell me, my old _apprentice. _Aren't you forgetting something this year?" Halt said, pleased at the flash of doubt that came over Gilan's face.

Gilan swiveled his head, checking the trees behind him, when an arrow flew past his head, embedding itself into the tree beside him. He jerked back away from the tree in shock, looking swiftly into the trees to see where the mysterious arrow had appeared from.

Concealed in the shadows, up in a tree, was a small figure. "Come down, Will!" Halt called.

_Will! That's right! Halt got a new apprentice this year. _

A short, brown haired boy dropped out of the trees, walking slowly towards them. The boy looked young. _He cant be older than seventeen… _Gilan thought.

"Will, this is Gilan. One of the more careless Rangers in the corps," Halt said. Seeing how small the apprentice was, Gilan felt very foolish. But he grinned, trying to be lighthearted.

"That was a good shot, Will. Pleased to meet you," Gilan said, shaking his hand firmly.

"Could you teach me how you move like that? I wish I could do that," Will said sincerely.

Gilan smiled. _I think I'm going to like this Will._

* * *

**A/N: Yay for Gilan! I always loved the scene when Will met Gilan, but I wondered what Gilan was thinking during his attempt to surprise old Graybeard Halt. **

**As you can see, this is a little different from the book. I didn't have time to add everything… but I still hope you liked it. Please review!**

**Next up will be 'Love'. **


	2. Love

**A/N: Read and Review! Longer authors note at the end…. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice…. No matter how hard I dream….**

* * *

2: Love

Alyss was in shock. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this devastated or alone. _Will. Why did it have to be Will? _She asked herself.

Lady Pauline had just told her the news. Will had been taken overseas by the Skandians, along with Princess Cassandra. But Alyss didn't really care about Cassandra. She wasn't in love with Cassandra.

Because that was the truth, wasn't it? She was in love with him… With Will. She had never felt stronger emotions for anyone in her life.

_Why?_ She kept asking herself. Tears slid down her cheeks, but she made no movement to brush them away. She was alone. She took the few moments she had to herself to cry.

"Alyss?"

She jumped, brushing the tears hastily off her cheeks. Lady Pauline stood in the doorway to her room, a look of sympathy on her face.

"Yes, Lady Pauline? Is there something I can help you with?" she asked, trying to sound confident. Her voice quavered a little.

"I have just come to see how you are taking the news…." Pauline trailed off, noting the look of pain that flashed across her young charges face.

"Fine." But even Alyss new this was a lie.

"You love him, don't you?" Pauline asked tentatively.

Alyss nodded, unable to keep back the tears. Pauling stepped forward and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Love…. It can be a painful thing," Pauline said, understanding all the emotions battering the young girl., for she felt the same way every time Halt rode away on another of his countless missions.

_Curse Rangers… _she thought, shaking her head in dismay.

* * *

**A/N: AWWWWWW… so cute….. Yet another one of the ideas that has been floating around in my head…**

**Over the course of these stories, you will notice my obsession with hurt/comfort fics. I love to read them…. And I love to write them even more… just thought I would warn you**

**You will also notice how much I love little Willers. I cried myself when he was taken overseas by the Skandians in book two. I really am a fangirl….. =P**

**Please review and tell me if you liked it! Constructive criticism is welcome, but flames will be used to toast marshmallows. **

**Next up will be 'Light'. **


	3. Light

**A/N: New chapter up! This one is my favorite so far! =P **

**Special thanks to Hatakefire for being the first to review and giving me inspiration for this chapter. I would also like to thank Harpfire for reviewing. Your kind words made me smile.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything! =)**

* * *

3. Light

Halt stared out the window, eyes fixed on the horizon. The sun was emerging from behind the trees, casting yellow light over the cabin.

It was the third morning since Will had gone missing.

_This is all my fault!_ He thought miserably. _Why did I have to send Will out to get firewood in the middle of the night? _He shook his head, trying to banish the horrible thoughts from his mind. No use playing the what if game. _That wont bring Will_ _back_. He told himself.

Will... Bright, lighthearted Will. He was more than Halt's apprentice. Will was the son he never had. And now he was gone.

A knock sounded at the door, making Halt jump. He took a moment to gain his composure and then called, "Come in. The door is unlocked..."

Rodney stepped into the cabin, his face grim.

"Any sign of him, Rodney?" Halt blurted out.

"None," Rodney said. "Horace insisted on looking all night. There was no sign of him. The snowstorm erased all traces..."

"We have to keep looking!" Halt said gruffly, striding over to the door of the cabin and throwing it open.

Rodney followed him out into the frosty air. "Halt!" he called to his friend, but Halt ignored him and continued walking. "Halt!" Rodney grabbed Halt's arm but he just brushed Rodney off and turned angrily.

"I don't care how hopeless it is! I have to find him. I will keep looking until I know what happened to Will!" he shouted.

"Halt! I know. I was just offering to come with you," Rodney said gently. Halt looked at him incredulously.

"Fine..." he said after a moments pause and then quickened his pace into the trees.

"Will couldn't have gotten very far..." Halt commented. "He usually goes into the clearing... over here."

"Halt, we already looked here. It was the first place we went and searched..." Rodney began.

"We're looking again," Halt growled. After that, Rodney decided it would be better if he remained quiet.

Halt scoured the clearing, but there was still no signs of his apprentice. He closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the forest around him. His eyes snapped open and he began to walk again, going deeper into the forest, following his instincts. He stopped suddenly. Something wasn't right. His head snapped around. There! Halt stumbled hastily forward, his hand gripping at the branches of a large oak.

"There has been a fight here recently..." he murmured, fingers brushing the tree bark where dried brown blood was splattered.

"How do you know that?" Rodney asked tentatively.

"Broken branches... blood..." he whispered.

"It could have been a deer, Halt..."

Halt shook his head, caching up and pulling a small sliver of cloth that had snagged on a branch. The fabric was a mottled green and gray. Without wasting a moment, Halt shot off. He wasted no time, only pausing to look for more signs of broken branches. Something had happened to Will. Something bad.

The sky was beginning to darken as the sun set. **(A/N: I know... This is about light, but you will see what I am doing…**) They continued to search.

Halt was beginning to give up hope when he saw smoke rising into the sky. He slowed down, stepping lightly on the ground. Creeping forwards, he peered through the forest to see the large campsite that lay before them.

A huge bonfire blazed in the center of the camp and several tents were pitched around it. Men were sitting around the flames, talking loudly and drinking. Halt searched around for any sign of Will. He spotted a figure tied to a tree on the outskirts of the camp. His heart thudded as he recognized the small frame and mop of brown hair.

"Will!" he whispered. After a moment of staring at the slumped figure, he turned to Rodney. "We will have to wait until they all fall asleep..." Rodney just nodded, his eyes glinting with anger.

They didn't have to wait long. As the moon began to rise, the men gradually parted ways, each going to a separate tent. Soon, there was only one man left, presumably the guard.

Halt nodded to Rodney, standing up and moving towards Will. Rodney suppressed a groan, trying not to fall over as he approached the guard. _How do rangers do it?_ He thought, before smacking the guard once on the head with a branch he had found. The guard sank to the ground without a sound, out cold.

Halt strode towards Will, quickly taking his throwing knife out from underneath the folds of his cloak and cutting through the boy's bonds. Will slumped forward and Halt caught him, quickly assessing his injuries, noting the dry blood that caked the side of his head and the deep gash in his thigh.

Hoisting Will in his arms, he began to run through the woods, a new vigor in his pace. Will was light… too light.

They reached the cabin just before dawn. Halt threw open the door, laying Will on the couch and immediately beginning to boil a pot of water. "In the cabinet there should be bandages… Get some out for me please…" Halt ordered. "And then start a fire."

Rodney got out the strips of cloth from the cabinet and then went outside and grabbed wood for the fire. Soon, the warm flames lit up the cabin.

Halt began to wash the blood away from Will's head and leg, wrapping them both tightly in bandages. At first, Will was unresponsive. He began to stir when the sun was peeking over the trees. Light streamed in from the window. And that was when Halt knew everything was going to be okay.

Will cracked open his eyes, his head throbbing and his leg aching. _What happened? Where am I? _He tried to sit up and then fell back down when a spike of pain shot through his skull. And then he remembered. _I was getting firewood for Halt and then… _

"Halt?" Will croaked.

"Will!" Halt rushed forward. "How do you feel?"

"Like I was run over by a cart. How…? Where…?" he asked tiredly.

"We found you tied to a tree in a campsite… What happened?"

Will smiled weakly and then began his tale.

(Continued in Dark)

* * *

**A/N: YAY! This one was much longer than the other two chapters. =P That makes me happy… sorry the other two were so short. I am still trying to get used to the whole writing process. **

**I would love to know a couple of things in your review. **

**1. What did you think? Love it? Hate it? **

**2. Is there anything I can improve on? Grammar, descriptions, etc…**

**3. List to the several times I used light in this story. I will give a virtual cookie to whoever can guess them all. There are at least three. =P**

**4. How often should I update? **

**5. Will I ever get over my BBC Sherlock obsession?**

**Ok… so maybe you don't have to answer number five… but I really am obsessed. The other day at dinner I deduced which place was mine at the table by the amount of butter on the plates. Talk about being a nerd… Aaaannnyyywwaaayyysss… **

**The next chapter (titled Dark) will be a continuation of this.**** Hopefully that will answer any of the questions you may have and fill in the plot holes (because there is several unexplained occurrences I know... You will figure out it all next time)**

**Review please! Until next time…**

**-Dawn**


	4. Dark

**A/N: So this is what happens to Will! I hope you enjoy! Please review when you are finished. Thank you…**

**Also, special thanks to Hatakefire, who has reviewed every chapter so far… Way to go! I really appreciate the feedback.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it...**

* * *

4. Dark

"Will!" Halt called from in the kitchen. "We need more firewood!" Halt put a pot in a cabinet, glancing over to where his apprentice was sprawled on the couch.

Will moaned, lurching to his feet. His muscles were stiff and sore from his hard day of training. All he wanted to do was sit and relax. He stood there for a few moments as the blood rushed to his head, making his vision swim slightly.

"Anytime today would be great, Will," Halt said sarcastically.

"I'm going…" he said, grinning and then he stumbled out of the door. The cold air hit him like a slap to the face and he shivered.

He moved mechanically, stepping into the frosty air, the snow crunching under his boots. A gust of wind tore at him, and he cursed, glad he had remembered to grab his cloak.

_I'll make this fast… _he told himself wearily, bending over and scooping sticks into his arms.

_CRACK! _Will froze, his hand going instinctively to his waist where his knife belt usually was. But he had left both his knives in the cabin.

Another crack rang through the darkness. Will slowly set down the firewood, taking a large club-like stick as a weapon. He began to move into the shadows, going deeper into the forest.

The cautious part of him screamed to go back to the cabin where it was safe and warm. The curious part of him wanted to check it out. As usual, curiosity won over fear. _Who would be out this late? _He thought hurriedly, his brain scrambling for answers. _I will just take a look…. And then go right back to the cabin. _

As he moved deeper into the woods, the sounds became louder. Will paused for a moment as he realized he was trailing a rather large party. He came to a sudden realization. _A traveling group this large would have lookouts… _

As soon as he thought this, he heard a noise from behind him. He spun around, dropping to the ground as an axe swung straight at his head. A giant man stood over him, tall and menacing.

He scrambled backwards as the giant man swung the axe again. Will cried out as the weapon grazed the side of his leg, sending blood pooling into the snow. _Just a scratch! _His brain screamed at him. _Get back up! _**(A/N: In case you are wondering, it just barely grazed his leg… it didn't smash into it… hence the reason he is still alive…)**

He tried to climb to his feet, bloody hands scrambling at the branches above him. He had just made it to his knees when a fist smashed into the side of his head, and the world spiraled into darkness.

DARK

Hands gripped at him. Voices were shouting around him. He jolted as he was slammed onto the ground. Rope was tied tightly around his wrists, binding him to the hard bark of a tree.

He struggled to remove the bonds, sending pain shooting through his skull again. He fell into unconsciousness once more.

DARK

"And the next time I woke up, I was here…" Will finished.

Halt and Rodney had been completely silent as Will told his tale. Now, Halt spoke, his face full of sadness.

"I'm sorry that had to happen to you, Will… I'm sorry I didn't come after you sooner!" he said. "I fell asleep before you got home with the firewood and then the storm blew in… we couldn't find any sign of you after that… Not until I went deeper into the forest…"

"It's not your fault, Halt…" he said, yawning. Halt smiled.

"Get some rest, Will…" he said. Will closed his eyes, falling back to sleep once more. Halt turned to Rodney, still smiling, thankful that the darkness was behind them.

* * *

**A/N: So if you are confused, Will was taken by some bandit people and a snowstorm prevented Halt from coming after him… that same snowstorm prevented the bandits from getting to far ahead so Halt caught up to them fast. **

**I didn't really like this chapter, but I hope it was okay…**

**Please review and tell me about what you thought. Are there any suggestions for my next chapter, Seeking Solace?**


	5. Seeking Solace

**A/N: Before we begin, special thanks to Hatakefire and Athena's Warrior for reviewing. Your encouragement inspires me to keep going. =P**

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing… when I do, I'll let you know. **

**Oh… and, thanks to Hatakefire for helping me come up with the idea…**

* * *

5. Seeking Solace

Horace awoke to a pounding at his door. He moaned, rolling over and burying his face into his pillow. "Fivemoreminutes…" he mumbled. He was about to drop off to sleep once more when the door swung open and a servant bustled into the room.

"Good morning, Sire," the boy exclaimed.

"Don't call me that please," Horace said.

The servant went on without hearing him. "You have a full schedule today! First, you will be fitted for your wedding suit, then the king requests you to meet with him for lunch, and after, you will go to your first council meeting."

Horace moaned as the boy continued to jabber uselessly. Resisting the urge to throw something at the servant, he threw off the covers and stood up.

"I will go fetch the seamstress. You wait here!" The boy eagerly bounced away. Horace relished the quiet, sitting down at his desk and eating the breakfast that had been laid out for him. His peace didn't last for long.

The door swung open again to reveal an old woman, who was carrying a basket. "Good morning, Sire," she said politely.

"Please don't call me that," Horace growled moodily. The lady just smiled and nodded, gesturing for him to stand up as she began to measure him. She hummed a tuneless song, and the servant began chattering away once more.

By the time the fitting was over, Horace had a pounding headache. He walked slowly to the dining hall, plastering a fake smile on his face before swinging open the door.

"Horace!" King Duncan cried happily. "I'm glad you could join me! Take a seat!" He gestured at one of the chairs next to him, where a plate of food already waited.

Horace sat down, staring down at the food. His stomach churned and he pushed the plate away. "Thank you, but I'm not hungry…" he said slowly. "You wanted to see me for something?"

The smile dropped off the King's face. "I've been meaning to talk to you… there is something we need to discuss… Tomorrow you are going to give a speech to the people… they want to hear from you… they want to know who their king is going to be when I am gone," he said, smiling sadly.

Horace stared at the king in shock. "What do you mean I have to give a speech?" he cried, shaking his head wildly.

"Horace, you will be the king one day, and you will have to get used to giving speeches in front of your subjects…" King Duncan said.

Horace shook his head. "I can't," he exclaimed. Even the thought of speaking in front of a crowd made his throat close with fear. He looked at the king pleadingly.

"You are going to have to get used to it, Horace!" King Duncan said kindly.

Horace stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the stone floor. "Excuse me," he said politely. He strode out of the door and into the courtyard, stumbling down the steps in his haste to get as far away as possible.

Not looking where he was going, he crashed into someone, nearly sprawling on the ground.

"Sorry…" he mumbled without looking to see who it was, brushing past and walking quickly out into the garden. _At least here, I can get some peace, _he thought miserably.

"Horace," someone said from behind him. Horace resisted the urge to curse as he turned around.

Halt stood there, arms crossed over his chest and feet spread wide apart. Even being as short as he was, Halt still managed to seem menacing.

"Yes?" Horace asked, wearily sitting down on one of the benches.

"I… I just wanted to ask you if everything was alright…" Halt said gruffly.

Horace looked down at his boots, his hands shaking. "Yes… No… I don't know…" he responded. Halt raised one eyebrow, his face impassive. Horace shifted under the man's penetrating gaze.

After a long moment of silence, Halt walked over and sat down on the bench next to Horace. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Horace looked up at Halt, his face etched with worry. "I'm getting married to the princess next week, Halt!" he cried suddenly. "I'm not ready! I will never be ready!"

Halt took a while to reply. When he finally did, his voice was calm and reassuring. "The fact that you are worrying about it means that you are ready for the things to come, Horace. You are a fine warrior and a likeable young man. I am sure that the people will see you the same way I do…"

"But what if they don't? I have to give a speech, Halt!" he asked. "I hate speaking in front of people! What if I screw up the speech and everyone hates me? What if I…"

"Horace…" Halt interrupted him. "Stop… You know what to do to get people to like you? Be yourself! You will be a great king one day Horace. You are compassionate and you have a great heart! Not to mention that you are a great warrior! You will win Araluen many battles…"

As Halt spoke, he watched the young man's eyes light up with a new fire. He smiled inwardly and thought, _Enough is enough. I can't have him getting to big of a head. _

"Alright! Now stop complaining and get out of my sight! I have better things to do than to consol a love-struck fool!"

Horace nodded emphatically and stood, bounding up the stairs and back into the castle.

"Will mentoring ever end?" Halt muttered, before spinning on his heel and striding away.

* * *

**A/N: Soooo… Did you like it? Sorry if this chapter seemed odd to you... I kept thinking about Merlin when I was writing it... and then I went off on a sad soundtrack spree... There are some amazingly sad soundtracks out there! **

**I loved the idea of a comforting Halt (idea goes to Hatakefire)… I couldn't pass up the opportunity…. **

**Any ideas for the next chapter, Break Away? If I use your idea, I will be sure to dedicate the next chapter to you… Leave any ideas in the review please. **


	6. Break Away

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you so much for the reviews and favorites. I love hearing what you think of my writing. **

**So this one is a bit angsty and there is a bit more comforting Halt. It was actually supposed to be humor (I swear!) but... my angsty mind wouldn't let me write anything close to funny.**

**This is dedicated to Harpfire, who had to sit through my ramblings about this chapter.**

**I hope you enjoy! **

**Oh yeah... this takes place between book one and two. **

**Disclaimer: I hope you know by now, I own nothing.**

* * *

6. Break Away 

Will watched his mentor bring up his bow and shoot the man strait in the chest. He shuddered as the body toppled to the ground into the snow. As they were walking away from the scene, Will asked, "Does it ever bother you?"

Halt turned and raised an eyebrow. "Your constant questions?" he asked. "Every day."

"No... Killing?" Will asked softly. Halt glanced quickly at his apprentice, noting the boy's pale face and haunted expression.

Will had been his apprentice for a while now, and Halt had grown extremely fond of the boy. Will was going to be a great ranger one day, Halt knew.

"It did at first... but you... you get used to it," he said gently.

Will looked horrified.

"No, not like that!" Halt said quickly. "You begin to realize that sometimes, it is necessary to take a life to save many more. Rangers try not to kill unless it is necessary. That man was a murderer. If I hadn't dealt with him, there could have been much more bloodshed at a later date."

Will nodded, looking away from his mentor and continuing to walk. He didn't think he could ever get used to killing. He guessed that someday, he would have to, but for now he was content with letting Halt do all of the killing.

BREAK AWAY

A man pounded at the door, making Will almost jump out of his skin. "Could you answer that?" Halt asked from the kitchen.

Will scurried to the door, opening it to reveal a messenger. "The baron requests to see Halt at once!" The boy sounded nervous, his eyes darting left and right as he examined the interior of the small cabin. Halt rolled his eyes and stepped out of the cabin.

"I haven't even had time to make coffee. This had better be good!" he strode away from the cabin and into the city.

Will watched them go, glad that he didn't have to be out in the cold at such an ungodly hour. He shut the door, going over and putting a pot of coffee on the stove. He was just sitting down on the couch with a mug when another knock sounded at the door.

"What is it this time?" he grumbled, opening the door. A young boy stood trembling and pale at the threshold.

"Murder!" the boy shouted. "There has been a murder!"

Will glanced around, wondering what he should do. Usually, Halt would take care of these kinds of things, leaving Will alone to practice with his bow. But Halt was up at the castle… and there was no time to go and fetch him. People's lives could be at risk.

He grabbed his bow and knives, following the boy into the city. It took them moments to reach a dark alley, where a body lay in a pool of blood. Red footprints led away from the scene, an ominous trail into the darkness beyond.

Will gulped, crouching down next to the figure lying in the snow. "What happened?" he asked the child.

"Molly… Molly is dead… her husband… he is crazy! He took her daughter!" the boy's voice trembled.

Will cursed and stood, following the footprints into the darkness of the alley. It didn't take him long to reach the killer.

A tall, bulky man stood in the darkness. Will could make out the glint of a knife that was pressed to the throat of a blonde girl. The man's face was scarred and twisted with hate.

The man held the knife tightly, his hands shaking and his eyes wild. "Stop right there!" he shouted at Will. The apprentice stopped in his tracks, his fingers tightly grasping his bow.

"Don't!" the man shouted as Will reached for an arrow. "I'll kill her!" the man shouted, holding the small child even tighter.

The girl whimpered and tired to squirm away. The knife dug into her throat, sending a trickle of blood down her neck. Will shook his head at her, and she stopped moving, trembling slightly.

Will stared at the criminal, slowly taking in every detail. He cleared his mind, conflicting emotions flooding through him. He had to stop the man... he had to kill him!

_But I can't..._ Will thought hopelessly.

"Drop the knife and I won't shoot!" he said, his voice cracking. The man started laughing demonically.

"Do you really have the nerve to kill, boy?" His voice was mocking, his face twisted into a grin. "I trust you've never killed before... never had the blood of a man on your hands. Is that really what you want?"

Will closed his eyes for a moment, shutting out the mocking voice of the man in front of it. He did the only thing he could. His bow swung up and he nocked an arrow to the string. The criminal tightened his grip on the knife, preparing to cut through the girls flesh.

Time seemed to slow. Will's mind screamed at him. _Don't shoot him!_

Will tore his mind away. He broke himself from his thoughts. He tore away from his morals, shattering his definition of right and wrong, tearing himself free of feeling _anything._ The voice inside his head shut off and he fired.

The arrow hit the man square in the forehead. He fell backwards, dropping the knife and releasing the little girl. Will feel to his knees, staring into space.

The girl rushed forward, her little arms wrapping around the apprentice's torso.

That was how Halt found them, hours later; slumped in the snow and holding on to each other for dear life.

BREAK AWAY

Halt sat Will down on the couch, wrapping a thick blanket around the boy's shaking shoulders. Halt quickly made a pot of coffee, bringing two mugs over and sitting down next to Will.

"You did a good job out there, Will..." he said gruffly, handing over the mug. Will stared down at the coffee, his mind blank.

"I killed a man today," he whispered, his eyes brimming with tears. He looked up at his mentor. Halt saw how broken the boy was.

"You saved that girl and many more people, Will. That man was evil and would have killed again," Halt said.

Will nodded slowly. "I... I feel hollow, Halt. When I was standing there, watching the murderer, I knew I had to act... so I shut off my feelings... I... I tore my consciousness away... I killed him, Halt." Will was almost sobbing now.

Halt put one arm around Will's shoulders, holding him close. There was nothing he could say to make it better, but he knew that just being beside the boy would help to pick up the broken pieces.

* * *

**A/N: There you are! This was brought on by me reading The Burning Bridge. It got me thinking... What happened to Will going from just killing monsters to killing men at the bridge? Why was Will so shaken at the beginning when he faces the Wargal? **

**And that is how this was born... XD**

**I'm sorry if there were any mistakes. I didn't really have time to edit so I kind of just posted it. **

**Next up will be Heaven.**

**I hope you liked it... please review.**


	7. Heaven

**A/N: Thank you to my reviewers Hatakefire, SeekerMaxia, Harpfire, Flaminglake, and Athena's Warrior. You guys are great! **

**This chapter took me forever to write. I only seem to be attacked by angsty plotbunnies and I really wanted to write something happy for once! That really didn't happen,,, this is more… bittersweet. XD**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice. That is why I write fanfiction.**

* * *

7. Heaven 

There were several things that made Will happy. He loved riding Tug, shooting his bow, Halt's praise, and Jennie's pies. He liked climbing trees, talking with Horace, and drinking coffee.

But there was only one thing that could make him feel as if he were in heaven. He experienced it now as he started deeply into _her _eyes, his heart thudding and his head spinning. Euphoria flooded his senses, making him struggle to breathe.

Alyss was so beautiful. He reached out and placed a hand on her own. She smiled and they continued to sit in silence, both looking out into the stars.

They didn't have to speak. They both knew what the other was thinking. _I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here with you. _

"Will…" Alyss said, interrupting the silence. Will moved his hand to her waist.

"What is it, Alyss?" he said softly. "You know you can tell me anything."

She nodded, leaning against the tree they were sitting under. She turned her head, looking deep into Will's eyes.

"I'm leaving for a while…" she said.

"What?" he asked softly, a pang shooting though his heart. "Where are you going?"

"Lady Pauline has an assignment for me in a southern fief," she said.

"That's wonderful!" Will said, smiling sadly.

"I will be gone for several weeks, Will…" she said. "I'll miss you."

Will reached out and held her closer to him, stroking her hair with one hand. "I'll miss you too, Alyss."

They stayed like that until the sun began to rise, enjoying the feeling of heaven while they still could, dreading the days to come when they would have to be apart.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it's so short. This is literally all I could come up with. I tried like eight different things and nothing worked so I just used this. I don't really like it… I can't seem to write any good romance stuff… but you know… XD**

**I hope you enjoyed. Please review and tell me if you did. Also, I'm taking requests for the next chapter, titled Innocence. **

**Cyber cookies to the best prompt! XD**


	8. Innocence

**A/N: Thank you to the reviews! I love hearing what everyone thinks about my writing. It makes me incredibly happy. **

**This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful SeekerMaxia, who gave me this idea. I hope I do it justice. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice. That is why I write fanfiction.**

* * *

8. Innocence

The sun had just risen, sending pools of golden light through the window. Birds twittered outside and a cool breeze was blowing, making the spring air feel fresh and crisp.

Will was pouring himself a mug of coffee when there came a pounding at his cabin door. For the hundredth time that week, Will wished that Halt were there to help him. He set down his coffee mug and ran to answer the insistent nocks.

A girl and a boy stood at the threshold. Will frowned, seeing the dirt on their faces and cloths. "Are you Ranger Will Treaty?" the girl asked, her voice trembling.

Will nodded slowly, too shocked to say anything. He hadn't been expecting any children to come visit him once he was a ranger. What was he supposed to do? Send them away?

"You have to help us!" the girl said. "Papa… he was taken by some men… please… he's the only one we have left!"

A pang of sympathy shot through Will's heart and he nodded, opening the door wider to let them in. "Let me gather my supplies first. Tell me everything."

The girl nodded, holding the young boy closer to her side when the entered the small cabin. "Papa… he owed some money to a man… but he couldn't pay it off… the men came to collect the money and Papa… he made us go hide in the barn.. They beat him and then dragged him off!" The girl was nearly in tears now.

"It's going to be okay," Will said, kneeling down next to the girl. "What are your names and how old are you?"

"I'm Mary… I'm eight… and this is Nathan… he is six…"

Will nodded. "Well, come on Mary and Nate. Lead me to your house…"

The little girl rushed out the door, leading the way through the woods and to a field. In the center of the field sat a small brick cottage with a grass roof. Beside the cottage was a small, red barn.

"I need you two to wait inside while I go search for your father…" he said, leading the girl and the boy up the steps into the cottage.

Once they were safely inside the house, Will looked closely at the scene, noticing the trail of blood leading away from the house.

He followed the trial into the trees, pausing occasionally to listen for the sounds of anyone ahead. The blood trail began to look fresher. Will went slower through the trees until he came upon a man.

The man was tall, with dark hair and large muscles. He was dragging a figure through the dust. Will brought up his bow to shoot, reaching for an arrow, but as he moved, the man turned.

He quickly released the arrow, hitting the man in the chest and killing him instantly. Then he turned his attention to the children's father, who hadn't moved from the spot

Will knelt down next to the body. Crimson blood pooled into the dust. He rolled the man over, startled to see that he was still breathing. He quickly ripped a piece of his cloak off and pressed it to the gash in the man's stomach.

"You'll be okay," Will said, his voice shaking.

The man laughed, wincing and shutting his eyes against the pain. "No I wont… I know a fatal wound when I feel it…" The man coughed, sending blood spurting onto Will's front. He ignored it, pressing harder on the wound.

"Take... care... of my... children..." he gasped out. He let out one last shuddering breath and then lay still. Will stood, picking up the body of the man. It only took him twenty minutes to exit the forest and reach the farm. He put the body of the man in the barn, covering him up with his cloak.

Will reached out to open the door of the cottage. He saw his hands, bloodied up to the elbows. Will swallowed, swaying. Hands trembling, he threw open the door and stepped inside.

Mary and Nathan were sitting on the floor in the living room, holding onto each other for dear life. When they saw the door swing open, they both jumped up. Will stumbled into the room, his face grim and his eyes dull.

"Will!" Mary called, letting go of her younger brother and rushing forward. "Are you hurt? You're covered in blood!"

Will nodded. "I… I'm fine…" he said. "But I have some bad news…"

Silence filled the cabin. Will knelt down beside the two children, looking deep into their eyes. Mary… Nate… Your father is dead…"

He saw the light go out of both of their eyes as they realized what he had said. He saw their hearts breaking, their innocence and their childhood leaving them forever. A look of ageless pain came over both of their expressions.

Nate buried his face into his sister's shirt, his small arms wrapping around her torso. "Papa's dead?" he asked weakly.

His own eyes filled with tears as Mary began to sob. "No!" she said. "No!"

"I'm sorry," he said, his arms wrapping around them. "I'm so sorry."

Will held them for what seemed like forever. He finally stood up, sitting the children down on the couch before going to the kitchen to wash the blood from his hands.

He closed his eyes as he saw the water in the bucket turning red. He could hear the children crying in the other room, making his heart break and his eyes fill with tears again. He swallowed and walked back to the children.

They had lost the innocence of childhood that day. Will knew how that felt and he vowed that he would be there to help them through the pain.

* * *

**A/N: So I reread all of my other chapters and realized how rushed they all sounded (including this one). I think for the next one, I am going to try and slow down.. If you have any tips on how to improve please leave a review. Is there a part I could have described better?**

**Next up will be Drive. Does anyone have any suggestions?**

**P.S.- If you like Harry Potter, you should go and read my Harry Potter one shot. XD **

**Thank you for reading! **


	9. Drive

**A/N: Thank you to my latest reviewers Hatakefire, Harpfire, CHiKa-RoXy, SeekerMaxia, and Athena's Warrior. I love love love hearing back from you. XD (Sorry I didn't reply to any of the reviews. I have been really busy lately… I will try to do better)**

**I spent a little longer on this one. I hope that it isn't as rushed. I reread it a few times to check, but if there is still problems, don't be afraid to tell me. I love constructive criticism just as much as I love the encouragement. =P**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

* * *

9. Drive 

"Are we there yet?" came an insistent voice from behind him.

Halt turned in his saddle, glaring at his young apprentice. "Does it look like we're there, Will?" he asked, turning back around to face forward. He patted Abelard's neck tiredly. "Are all apprentices like this?" he muttered. Abelard snorted as if in reply, tossing his head.

They rode in silence for a few more minutes. Halt was just beginning to relax, when a sharp voice cut through his thoughts.

"How far away is the gathering, Halt?" Will asked.

Halt decided that it was best if he remain silent. Maybe if he didn't respond, Will would get bored and stop pestering him with questions.

"How many people will be there?" Will asked after about a minute of silence. "Will there be other apprentices there?"

Oblivious to the fact that Halt was ignoring him, Will continued to throw questions at his mentor. "How will the evaluation go? What will I be tested on?"

Halt kept his eyes forward, looking deep into the trees. He hoped they would come upon the clearing soon. He didn't know how much more of Will's countless questions he could take. They were driving him crazy.

Sunlight filtered in through the branches of the trees, landing in little splashes on the leaves. Halt looked into the sky, noticing the pink hue. They would have to set up camp soon.

Will continued to chatter as Halt reined in Abelard. "Come on. Help me collect firewood…" he said gruffly, letting the reins fall to the floor and untying the saddle bags.

The little pools of light were getting smaller as the sun sunk beneath the horizon. As Will started the fire, Halt began to prepare a pot of coffee, robotically filling the pot with water from his flask.

The glorious smell of coffee began to fill the chilly air.

When it was done, he poured himself a mug and began to sip at the warm liquid.

"Halt, why do you like coffee so much?" Will asked, picking up the pot of coffee and sniffing at it.

"No no no," Halt growled, snatching the pot away from the boy. "You drive me crazy enough without any coffee running through your system."

"But what does it taste like?" Will asked. "It looks gross… kind of like brown, muddy water. What is coffee made out of, Halt? Does it taste like mud? Why do…?"

"Alright! You can have some! As long as you stop asking me useless questions… but only one mug. I don't want you staying up all night," Halt said, pulling out another mug from the saddlebag and pouring Will some of the precious liquid.

He knew that he was going to regret this decision later, but he handed the boy the cup, watching as he took a tentative sip.

"Oh, this is actually rather good!" Will commented, gulping down the mug of coffee.

_Two hours and three pots of coffee later…_

"This is so GOOD! What is it made out of? You never answered me…. OH ON WAIT, LET ME GUESS! Not dirt… it's too delicious to be dirt…. Leaves? BARK OFF A TREE? What kind of tree? A pine tree? Apple? Oak? OH NO I GOT IT! It is made out of liquid GOLD! But then why is it brown?"

"Will…." Halt said. "You are driving me insane… I think it's time for you to go to bed…"

"BUT I CAN'T!" Will shouted, jumping up from his seat by the fire, throwing his arms in the air.

Halt buried his face in his hands. He had created a monster.

* * *

**A/N: HAHA, I love this one. It was super fun to write. I couldn't stop smiling the whole time…. I really don't know where the whole coffee part came from… it was just supposed to be a fic about Will driving Halt bonkers, but Halt still loving him… obviously my muse had other ideas. **

**Please review and tell me your thoughts about this chapter. Also, leave any ideas for the next chapter, which will be called Breathe Again (ooooh that sounds angsty XD).**

**Thanks for reading. **


	10. Breathe Again

**A/N: Hey, sorry this took me so long to upload. I have had a bunch of stuff on my hands this week. **

**This chapter is dedicated to… EVERYONE! You guys are so awesome... this story has gotten over 1,000 views. It makes me super happy. XD **

**Thanks to all the reviews as well. (and to Hatakefire for betaing) **

**For the sake of this chapter, there is no such thing as CPR or anything… ;) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

* * *

10- Breathe Again

Will looked down at the tumbling water below. It was grey-black, swirling like a tornado as it rushed down the hill.

He looked to the rickety wooden bridge they were about to cross. It was wooden, suspended over a five-foot drop by tattered ropes. The wood was rotting, several planks missing from the floor. Every gust of wind sent it swaying dangerously.

"Are you sure that is safe, Halt?" he asked his mentor, eyes wide with fear.

Halt shook his head. "No, but it is the only way to cross…."

Will nodded, glancing up at the stormy winter sky, which was grey with clouds. The frosty wind sent chills down his spine. _Why did it have to be today of all days? _He thought miserably. Earlier that morning they had gotten reports of bandit attacks in the north and were sent to investigate. The route they decided to take was the one less traveled. Will sighed, wishing that he was back in the warm cabin by the fire.

His thoughts were interrupted by Halt's gruff voice.

"I want you to stay here while I go and test to see if it's safe…" Halt said. He set his bow on the ground, swinging his quiver next to it. Gripping the rope railing tightly, he stepped on to the wood, swaying slightly as the rope bridge quivered in the strong wind. His cloak flapped around him as he shuffled cautiously to the center of the bridge.

Will watched from the sidelines, his breath catching in his throat every time the structure rocked. Halt stumbled once, his foot smashing through the rotted plank, sending him falling to his knees.

Will's heart hammered in his throat. "Halt!" he cried, rushing forward, ready to go to his mentor's side.

"No!" Halt called to him, hands scrabbling at the wood as he tried to find a place to grab on to. The only thing that was holding him to the bridge was his arm around the wood. His hand managed to grasp at the rope, but the wind pushed it away from him and he slipped farther down.

And then he fell. He crashed into the icy cold water. It wrapped itself around him, tearing at his cloak and spinning him around and upside down. He couldn't tell up from down.

His lungs were screaming for air. His chest ached and his head pounded. He tried to swim up… to get some control over his body. But he couldn't. He had to breathe NOW. He opened his mouth, water filling it. His vision blurred and his body went limp. It was over.

BREATH AGAIN

Will stumbled down the steep hill, eyes following his mentor's body in the foamy water. Not stopping for anything, he jumped. The frigid water hit him like a slap to his face, sending the air rushing out of his lungs.

He let the water carry him, keeping his head above the waves and searching for his mentor's dark cloak among the white foam.

He spotted the limp figure several feet away and began to paddle over, his arms aching as the battled the current.

He reached Halt, wrapping his arms around the still form and kicking with all of his might to the edge of the river.

He managed to grasp a branch that was jutting over the side and pull them both up onto the bank, panting and gasping as his limbs screamed in protest. His head thudded and he rolled over onto his back, eyes staring at the cloudy sky.

His brain felt foggy as he sat up, the world swaying dangerously. There was something he was forgetting… But what?

He turned, noticing the still figure lying in the mud. _Halt! _

He scrambled forwards, his hands reaching to his mentor's wrist, feeling for a heartbeat. Under the cold skin was a faint thud of life, making Will sigh in relief.

But when he turned the man completely over, he noticed something. Halt wasn't breathing.

"Oh God…" he whispered. "Oh my…"

He didn't know what to do! Tears began to stream down his face as he gripped his mentor tightly. "Breathe!" he sobbed, gripping Halt tightly around the waist and pulling him into a sitting position.

Sitting up seemed to help, as Halt began to vomit water. Will cried harder as his mentor began to breathe again, wrapping the man in a tight hug.

"Halt!" He said, burying his face into the wet cloak.

Halt drowsily patted his apprentice on the back, his eyes drooping with sleep. "Thank you…" he whispered, slumping forward into Will's warm arms.

Will quickly built up a fire, setting Halt's sleeping form by the flames. He yawned, his mind beginning to shut down. As his eyelids closed, he looked one last time at his mentor… his friend… his protector.

'_I hope I never see him that close to death again…' _he thought before sleep overtook him.

* * *

**A/N: That was super fun to write. I hope the setting made sense to you… It was a small five foot cliff with a river at the bottom. You could make your way to the bank of the river by climbing down a hill. **

**Also, the reason why Will could swim and Halt couldn't…. Will was ready and prepared… Halt wasn't… and Will was above the water the whole time. Halt was pushed under by the force of hitting it so fast….**

**Just to clear it up in case you sere wondering. **

**Yeps… anyways….**

**Please review and tell me your thoughts. Also, any ideas for the next chapter, Memory? **


	11. Memory

**A/N: You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for all of the reviews. I love hearing back from my readers… I can not express this enough.**

**This is dedicated to my newest reviewer, halt-finatic378. You are amazing. XD**

**Warnings: Character death**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

* * *

11- Memory

It was the first time Will entered the cabin since Halt had died. As he pushed open the door, a flood of memories engulfed him.

_Halt greeting him for the first time…. Halt drinking a cup of coffee by the fire… Halt instructing him on how to draw a map…. Halt comforting him…._

"Are you alright, Will?" asked Alyss, who was standing behind him worriedly.

Nodding, he swallowed hard as he stepped through the threshold. The room seemed to spin and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He heard a voice in his ear, but it was as if it came from miles away. He couldn't make out the words they were saying.

His head spun as he was lowered onto his side. He closed his eyes and let the memories swallow him once more.

MEMORY

"_Hold the bow up higher and you should be able to hit the target center almost every time," Halt said, holding up Will's arms in the correct position with a nod. "Other than that you are doing great."_

MEMORY

"_Come on, Halt!" shouted Will excitedly as he bounced from foot to foot. _

"_Hold on… We will go in a minute… I just need to grab a few more things…" Halt said, shoving a map into his pack. "Okay…"_

"_Lets go…" Will said, grinning. Then, he bounded away. _

"_Will!" Halt called. _

_Will stopped, glancing over his shoulder confusedly. "What?"_

"_You're going the wrong way…."_

MEMORY

_The fire glowed brightly in the hearth, casting shadows around the cabin. Halt sat on the couch, mug in his hand and map in the other. Will sat beside him, sipping at his own mug with a smile on his face. _

_He remembered his whishes to go to the battle school and wondered, 'Why would I want to be anywhere else?'_

MEMORY

"_I am not sick!" _

"_Of course not, Halt. You're running a one hundred degree fever and coughing up a lung. Of course you aren't sick…"_

"_Shut up and go away, Will."_

"_Okay… I guess you don't want this coffee I just made…"_

_"Actually..."_

MEMORY

"_Halt!" Will cried as he held his mentor's body. Crimson blood was pooling into the dust from a deep gash in Halt's side. The man's eyes fluttered. _

"_Halt… Stay awake… stay with me… you will be okay." Will sobbed, clutching his mentor tighter._

"_Will…" Halt muttered, eyes opening fully. _

"_Yes, I'm right here…" _

"_S'okay, W'll…" Halt muttered. "S'okay son…" _

_And his eyes closed forever._

MEMORY

Alyss watched Will nervously as he opened the door to the cabin. He paused, closing his eyes, his face going blank and pale.

"Are you alright, Will?" she asked him and he nodded, stepping into the cabin. It only took a few moments for Alyss to realize that Will was not alright. He began to sway, his eyes going glassy.

Alyss stepped forward, resting her hands on his shoulder and guiding him over to a place on the couch. "It's okay, Will. It's okay," she muttered, not sure if he could actually hear her. She continued to talk, muttering random, comforting words into his ear.

After a few minutes, Will seemed to come back to himself. His eyes focused on Alyss. He sat up, glancing around the cabin with a sob.

Alyss leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his thin form. "Let it out…." she said, holding him close. Tears leaked out of her own eyes as she witnessed his distress.

She held him tighter, knowing that there was nothing that she could do or say to make it better. The only thing she could do was stay beside him and help him ride out the memories.

The sun began to set, the sky turning pink. Will gently pushed Alyss away, looking into her tearful eyes. He tried to smile, his lips quivering. Alyss loved him all the more for trying.

"Want to talk about… about... it?" she asked. Will nodded once.

"I… I don't think I can do this without him, Alyss," he said.

"Do what?" she asked him, holding his hand in her own.

"This…" Will gestured around them with one hand. "Life…"

"Yes you can, Will. I know it feels hopeless right now, but it will get better over time…. And I will help you through this…" she said.

Will shook his head. "How? How can you help?" he asked bitterly. A little voice in his head told him to stop and that it wasn't Alyss' fault that Halt was dead. But the little worm of darkness that was in his heart was growing larger.

"Will…" Alyss said. "What is the fondest memory that you have of Halt?"

Will paused, looking up. He was silent for so long, that Alyss decided to jump in. "Do you remember when he made you sleep in the tree because you sang Gray Beard Halt too many times?"

She watched his face carefully, and her hopes flew like an eagle when she saw his weak smile.

"Yes… He told me I sounded like a dying cat when I sang that song," Will said, laughing weakly.

"And do you remember that time he invited all of us... Jenny, Horace, George, and me… over to the cabin to eat dinner as a surprise birthday party for you?"

"Yes… that was just two years ago," Will said. "He tried to bake me a cake, but he forgot about it and it burned…" Will laughed when he remembered Halt's look of pure hatred when he saw the blackened cake come out of the oven.

Alyss smiled warmly. "Yes, I am so glad that Jenny brought some extra pies…." She gripped Will's hand tighter before letting it go. They sat in silence for a few minutes, looking out the window to where a pale moon was casting milky light over the trees.

"You see…" Alyss said after a moment. "You just have to remember all of the good times you had with Halt. It will get better…"

"Thank you," Will whispered, before pulling her into a kiss. At that moment, he knew that it would all work out. No matter how much he missed Halt, Alyss would always be there for him and he would always be there for her.

* * *

**A/N: Woooohoooo! That was surprisingly easy to write… I usually have to struggle to make the chapters this long. I think I am getting better. **

**This month has been really busy for me and will continue to be busy. There will be gaps in between the chapters… I'm so sorry… DX But hopefully all of this stuff I am doing will clear up. **

**Thank you so much for reading. XD Please review and tell me what you thought, or any ideas for the next chapter, Insanity. **

**-Dawn**

**P.S.- go look up the song that inspired this fic… It is called The Time of our Lives by Tyrone Wells. **


	12. Insanity

**A/N: This is dedicated to my friends, Hatakefire, Stormfire41, Endless-Winters123, and especially Harpfire because it is her birthday and she is amazing. You guys have given me great advice and I hope you like this chapter. **

**Warnings: …Ummmm Idk… fatherly love… If you hate that kind of thing, you might want to stay away… XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

* * *

12- Insanity

Will stood of to the side of the group, watching as his mentor instructed the fourth year apprentices. Halt held his bow steady, eyes focused on the target fifty yards away. He released the arrow, letting the string slip from his fingertips.

The arrow hit the dead center of the target. Halt lowered his bow and turned to one of the watching apprentice's. "You give it a try," he said, stepping out of the way and gesturing with one hand.

The boy nodded, swinging up his bow and notching an arrow to the string. "A little bit to the left to compensate for the wind…" Halt commented. The apprentice obeyed and then released the arrow. It hit a little to the right of the center, thudding deeply into the wood.

Will sighed, scuffing the dirt with his shoe. His thoughts swirled around inside his head. _Will I ever be able to shoot like that? I can barely hit a target from thirty yards away. Should I even try anymore? Is it really worth it?_

His thoughts were interrupted by a hand placed on his shoulder. "Do you want to try it?" Halt asked. Will shook his head, looking up into his mentor's concerned face.

"No thanks," Will mumbled, turning to walk away. Halt tightened his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Halt asked, turning the apprentice to face him again.

"Nothing," Will answered immediately.

"That is not true. You are always eager to try something new…." Halt said, looking deep into Will's eyes.

He took a breath, shaking his head. "I wouldn't be able to do it, so why should I even try? I would just make a fool of myself in front of rangers who are much better than me… I mean…. I see all of the other apprentices… and I know I could never be as good as they are… as good as you are and I think… is it really worth it? And I realize that it isn't. I want to just stop, Halt. I want to quit!"

Will was breathing heavily, his hands shaking and his eyes watery.

Without thinking, Halt smacked his apprentice across the back of his head.

"Owww!" Will exclaimed, bringing his hand up to rub his now sore skull. "What was that for?"

"For being an idiot!" Halt said. He grabbed Will by the arm, dragging him to the fire in the center of the camp.

Many rangers sat around the flames, all talking cheerily. Halt spotted who he was looking for and strode over, Will in tow.

"Crowley, may I speak to you for a moment?" Halt growled. Crowley nodded, saying a few words to his companions before standing up and following Halt into the trees.

After they were a safe distance away from the fire, Halt stopped. Crowley opened his mouth to ask a question, but Halt interrupted him.

"Will wants to stop being a ranger," Halt said.

Crowley slapped the boy in the back of the head. "WHAT ARE YOU INSANE?" Crowley shouted.

"Owww, ok… I'm sorry…" Will said.

A crashing noise came from the bushes as Gilan appeared. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? THAT IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE!"

Will looked down at his feet.

"Will…" Crowley said. "In all seriousness…You are one of the best apprentices we have…. I know it may not seem it… but the others have been training longer than you. It only makes sense that they should be able to shoot a little better."

"Yes," Halt interrupted. "You have something that those boys don't have."

"What?" Will asked, looking back up.

"Drive."

A small smile spread across Will's face.

Gilan nodded quickly. "Please don't quit, Will. You love this… and we would all miss you."

Will nodded, the smile growing wider. "Thanks," he said.

Halt patted him once on the shoulder. "Now come on. We can't have you lounging about all day…."

Will followed his mentor slowly, glad that he had such good friends to help raise his spirits.

* * *

**A/N: This was inspired by my friends (listed in the beginning A/N). I was feeling really down today….My lifelong dream is to be a professional violinist, but I was discouraged because of a few individuals who are much better than me… My friends gave me great encouragement and advice and I feel much better. Thank you so much. XD**

**I apologize for any mistakes. This was written at a very late hour lol. **

**Also, thanks so much for all of the reviews. I love them all so much!**

**Next up will be Misfortune. Do you have any ideas for that? I would really appreciate a review, but please don't feel obligated. **

**Thank you so much for reading! **

**-Dawn**


	13. Misfortune

**A/N: I am sorry this took so long. I have been so busy, but fortunately, my workload has just lessened and I will be able to update more frequently. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I loved all of the feedback. **

**Thanks to Athena's Warrior for the idea. I added a character to it because I thought it would be more fun. XD **

**Warning: Ummm…. None really. A bad attempt a humor? XD **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

* * *

13- Misfortune

The sun was just beginning to set when the group of five stopped for the night. The sky was a warm pink and the cool spring air smelled of damp soil.

Halt looked over at his four companions as he unloaded the saddlebags. His eyes drifted from where Will, Gilan, and Horace were building a fire to where Crowley was setting out supplies for dinner.

Halt was extremely glad that Crowley was with him on this mission. He didn't think that he could handle three young men by himself.

He finished unpacking and then took a seat by the fire, where a pot of stew was already brewing.

When the stew was ready, they ate in silence, all too hungry to speak.

Will, Horace, and Gilan began arguing about something pointless when Crowley stood.

"Halt, could I speak to you a moment," Crowley asked, his tone ominous and his face impassive. Halt nodded, standing up and following his friend a few feet into the forest. When they were out of earshot, Crowley turned to face Halt.

"I am leaving," he blurted.

Halt glanced up at his friend, a look of horror plastered on his face. "What?"

"You heard me," Crowley said. "I'm leaving. I have to go back to Castle Araluen."

"You're going to leave me here with them, _alone?" _Halt whispered, his voice raising. Gilan, Will and Horace glanced over from their spots at the campfire. Halt swallowed and lowered his volume.

"I thought we were friends, Crowley," Halt said.

"We are… we are!" Crowley said, his eyes pleading with his friend to understand. "But I have duties I have to attend to."

Halt nodded slowly, sighing. "Ok," he said.

"That means you will have to check the border outposts without me," Crowley said, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

"Yes," Halt said. "That's not the part I'm worried about."

Crowley laughed and then began to walk back to the fire. Halt followed him, making his face blank once more.

"Crowley just informed me that he will be leaving us," Halt said.

"That's disappointing. I was looking forward to this mission because I thought it would be all of us… but that's ok, we still have you, Halt…" Gilan said.

"But that sure is unfortunate. I wonder where Crowley is going?" Will asked and the three young men began to chatter amongst themselves.

"No kidding. Now I have the misfortune of camping with you three alone," Halt muttered.

"Did you say something, Halt?" asked Horace, who was still spooning soup into his mouth like a madman.

"No," Halt grumbled, before walking towards his bedroll.

MISFORTUNE

"HALT! We are ready to go, Halt!"

Halt tried to ignore the insistent voice in his ear, but it wouldn't go away.

Will looked down at his mentor, who hadn't moved. "Is he dead?" he asked, reaching out a hand to shake the grizzled ranger awake.

A hand shot out of the mass of blankets, grabbing Will's wrist. Halt sat up, releasing the apprentice's arm.

"What is it?" he asked.

"We are all ready to go. We are waiting on you," Will said, grinning and rubbing his wrist.

Halt rolled his eyes. "And so you decided to wake me up?"

Will nodded, unable to contain his grin.

Halt raised an eyebrow and hoisted himself into Abelard's saddle. "Come on then…" he grumbled and the group set off into the trees.

MISFORTUNE

"HALT!"

"Yes, Will?"

"Are we there yet?"

"No. We still have about a days ride," Halt growled.

_Five minutes later…_

"Halt?"

"Yes, Gilan?"

"Why are we going to check the border?"

Halt let out a huge sigh before answering. "I've told you before. We have to check the outposts because we haven't gotten a report back from three of the border outposts since last month."

"Oh," Gilan said. "I remember you telling me that now."

Halt rolled his eyes, wondering how much more he could take before he broke. It was half an hour later when Horace and Will started to bicker.

"I did not scream like a girl!" Will exclaimed.

"Yes, you did," Horace said. "I jumped out from behind the tree and you screamed like a little six year old girl. And then you nearly took my head off with your knife."

"I did not scream like a girl! I shouted in shock, but it was a manly shout," Will said.

"Did too…"

"Did not!"

"Did too…"

"Did not!"

"DID TOO!"

"DID NO…"

"STOP!" Halt barked suddenly, giving them his most fearsome glare.

Will and Horace swallowed and were silent for a while.

_Twenty minutes later…_

Will was digging through his pack when he spotted something.

"Oh! I almost forgot. Jenny made us all some pies!" he said, puling out a bag.

Halt nearly jumped out of the saddle. _This is the last straw… _he thought.

"No! You will not be eating any sugar. I don't want you guys going…" he exclaimed, but it was too late.

Gilan, Horace, and Will had already dug into the cakes. Halt shuddered with the thought of the time to come.

_Later that night…._

"WILL GET OUT OF THE TREE! NO, HORACE, DO NOT PLAY WITH MY BOW. YOU MIGHT BREAK IT…. GILAN, WHY ARE YOU JUMPING UP AND DOWN? THAT IS ANNOYING."

Halt was spinning in circles, watching the three young men wreck havoc. Eventually, he fell to his knees his head spinning. There was nothing he could do but wait out this misfortune and hope for the best.

* * *

**A/N: So that was supposed to be funny… I hope you found it at least a small bit amusing. I'm not sure I quite liked it, but you know…. XD **

**I would appreciate it if you would take the time to review. **

**Next up will be Smile. Any ideas? XD**

**Thank you for reading! **

**-Dawn**


	14. Smile

**A/N: This was really hard to write for some odd reason. XD But I hope you like it anyways. **

**This is dedicated to Dash99, who made me realize that Tug needed a chapter. **

**Warning: Ummm…. None really. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

* * *

14- Smile

Tug was munching happily on his hay when his master came in. The boy opened the door quickly and shut it with a bang, striding over to Tug's stall moodily. Tug looked up at the young boy, eyes alight with energy. What were they going to do today? He hoped it involved apples.

He nickered, tossing his head and sniffing the apprentice's gray green cloak, looking for a treat. Will just ignored him, putting the saddle on his back and leading him out to the front of the cabin.

The boy led the horse, face turned towards the ground. Tug nickered again, and was worried when his normally happy master didn't so much as blink.

Tug wondered what was wrong. He tugged on the lead rope once, trying to get the boy to talk to him, to look at him… to maybe give him the apple that he so desired.

The boy snapped angrily at him. "That's enough, Tug. I'm really not in the mood today."

Tug flattened his ears and huffed a breath out of his nose. That was the last straw! There was something wrong with his master today, and he was not moving until he knew what it was.

He planted his feet in the dirt, using his stocky body to his advantage. Will feebly yanked on the rope, practically snarling with the effort. Tug just pulled back harder, making Will sprawl into the dust.

The boy turned to look at his horse indignantly. "What has gotten into you?" he asked. Tug blinked once at him, pressing his nose into Will's face.

Will sighed, stroking the velvety nose. "Sorry," he muttered after a moment of silence.

Tug whinnied in acknowledgment. Will could have sworn he was saying, "I was _wondering!"_

He patted the horse, the corners of his mouth turning up in the beginning of a grin. "I've been having a bad day…"

There was another moment of silence while Will ran his fingers through Tug's thick mane. "Nothing too bad has happened," he muttered. "Just a whole bunch of annoying little things piling up on top of one another. I seem to have forgotten everything that Halt taught me last week, and I can't shoot to save my life."

Tug looked wisely upon his master, pulling on the reins and chewing on one of Will's pockets.

Will rolled his eyes, smiling. "I know, I know. All you really want is this." Will reached into the pocket and pulled out a small, crimson apple, holding it out to Tug's nose.

Tug whickered and chewed on the fruit. Will laughed, patting the horse on the neck once.

"Now come on," Will said, still grinning. "I don't want to be late." Will led the horse into the woods where Halt was waiting, but not before giving Tug a hug and whispering a thank you into the horse's warm neck.

* * *

**A/N: So I'm doing something differently today. Instead of asking for reviews, I ask you kindly for a favorite or a follow. (But don't hesitate to review XD)**

**Next chapter will be 'Silence'. As always, tell me if you would like to see anything in the next chapter. **

**Love you guys so much! Have a good day. **

**-Dawn**


	15. Silence

**A/N: Here is the next one shot. I hope you like it. XD Yes, It is about Skandia... **

**Special thanks to Spiffy for the review. I'm sorry this chapter isn't Gilan/Jenny... I will try to add them later. XD**

**More thanks to Weeping Willow and Tanger Robin for the reviews. Just to point out... Halt isn't really dead. XD Since that was a one shot, it was technically a whole different story. So Halt is not dead and he will probably not die in any chapters in the near future. I'm sorry I made you sad... I was bawling as I wrote this. **

**Warning: Really angsty. **

**Disclaimer: I still don't own it.**

* * *

15- Silence

Will looked behind him one last time as they left Araluen, noticing the sun casting a warm golden glow over the castle. He smiled sadly, turning to face forward in his saddle and patting Tug lightly on the neck. He could feel Halt's worried eyes on the back of his head and he shifted a little, hoping the grizzled ranger wouldn't come forward and try to start up a conversation. He really didn't feel like talking at the moment. Dark thoughts ran through his mind as he rode ever closer to Redmont.

SILENCE

Life returned to normal after they arrived back at Redmont. But while life returned to normal, Will did not. Halt noticed that the young boy was quieter than ever, never seeming to ask a question or tell a story. Halt knew that the only thing that could heal the boy was time, but he was worried that the painful experiences of Skandia were slowly creeping up on the apprentice, and would soon consume him like a raging fire, completely enveloping him in hopeless pain.

A week after they returned, Halt was just sitting down for his morning coffee when a knock sounded at the door. He opened it to reveal a tall, blonde girl standing at the threshold. Her gray eyes looked worriedly into Halt's face.

"I'm here to see Will," Alyss said softly. "He hasn't come to visit me since he got back from Skandia..."

Halt nodded, opening the door wider and letting Alyss into the house. "He hasn't been in the mood for much of anything lately," Halt said, leading her down the hall to Will's door.

"Will!" he called, through the door, knocking lightly. "Alyss is here to see you." There was no answer. Halt turned and looked at the girl, alarmed to see tears filling her grey eyes.

Giving her a nod of comfort, he knocked on the door again. "Will!" he called. "we are coming in now..."

He twisted the knob, and the door swung open with a creak. He blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room.

Will was lying on his bed, facing the wall away from the door. Halt stepped aside and let Alyss into the room, shutting the door to give them some privacy.

Alyss swallowed past the lump in her throat, tears dripping out of her eyes and cascading down her pale cheeks. She stumbled towards the window, throwing open the thick curtains and letting soft golden light spill through the room and pool on the floor. She then made her way over to the bed, slowly sitting down at the end. She still couldn't see Will's face.

"Will," she said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Sit up for me please."

Alyss sighed when there was no response. "At least roll over to I can see your face..."

Again, there was silence. "Please... Will, I'm here to help..."

After what seemed like an eternity, Will rolled over, facing Alyss. The first thing that she noticed were his eyes. Normally so full of cheer, his eyes were red and puffy, looking up at her, full of deep pain. His cheeks were blotchy and streaked with tears. Without his ranger cloak on, he looked thin and vulnerable. Alyss could have sworn she saw every one of his bones sticking out through his translucent skin.

"Oh, Will," she muttered, her voice thick with unshed tears. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, eyes glancing downwards almost guiltily. Her heart jolted inside of her chest.

"It's okay..." she muttered. "It isn't your fault..."

She removed her hand from his shoulder, placing it gently on the side of his face.

"Maybe another time," she said, standing up and turning towards the door.

A hand shot out and weakly grabbed her wrist, making her turn around quickly in shock. Will looked up at her pleadingly. Hands shaking, he let go of her wrist.

"Please," he croaked. "Don't leave..."

"OK..." Alyss replied, her voice thick. She went back to her seat at the end of the bed, holding Will's hand as silence crept into the room like a cat stalking its prey.

Alyss sat with him, stroking her hands through his hair as his eyes drooped shut. She leaned forwards, brushing her lips lightly against his. He struggled to keep his eyes open, looking at her with a look of fright on his face.

"It's okay," she muttered. "Go to sleep... You... You're safe here," she said. And finally, his eyes fell shut.

Alyss slowly stood up as to not disturb him. She took her fingers slowly out of his hair and went to the door, swinging it open and stepping out into the main room of the cabin.

"Halt," she called, shutting the door behind her. He was sitting on the couch, hands clasped around a now cold mug of coffee. He glanced up as she entered the room and sat down next to him.

"How is he?" Halt asked, his voice gruff.

"He is sleeping now... But he didn't really say anything to me. He..." she swallowed past the huge lump in her throat. Her head pounded from the effort of trying to hold back tears. "He just needs some more time."

Halt nodded and they sat in silence for a few moments.

"Thank you for coming over and checking on him..." Halt said. Alyss nodded once and stood up, clearing her throat.

"I must be going now. I have duties to attend to back at the castle for Lady Pauline..." She paused for a moment and looked into Halt's grizzled face. "Is it okay if I come back every week to check on him?"

"Of course," Halt replied. "That would do him good."

Alyss smiled. Halt may have been battle worn and gruff on the outside, but on the inside she could tell that he really cared for people. She kissed him once on the cheek before exiting the cabin and heading out towards the castle.

SILENCE

Will's eyes slowly blinked open, his vision blurring. He sat up, a groan escaping his lips as his sore body protested.

"How long have I been asleep?" he muttered to himself, glancing out the dark window. Seeing the darkness made him remember of the darkness of Skandia, sitting alone with nothing but the cold. His body shivered as a chill passed over him.

He shook his head, trying to clear the muddled thoughts from his mind.

He stood up, swaying as the world tilted at a dangerous angle. His took a second to steady himself and then tried to take a step forwards. A second was obviously not long enough for him to recover and his knees buckled, sending him crashing to the floor.

His head hit the ground with a thud and his vision exploded in stars.

The door to the room swung open and Halt charged in, looking frantically around. "Will?" he said worriedly when he spotted the apprentice on the floor. "Are you okay?"

Will tried to sit up, his vision blurring. Halt came over and helped him lean himself against the side of the bed.

He checked the boy's pulse and then laid his hand on Will's forehead to feel for a temperature.

"You seem to be fine," he said, relief evident in his voice. "But you haven't eaten properly in days." Without another word, Halt stood up and left the room.

Will closed his eyes against his pounding head. The next thing he knew, Halt was crouched next to him, a bowl of soup balanced in his hands.

"I'm not hungry..." Will moaned, clutching his skull in an attempt to dull the pain.

"You need to eat, Will," Halt said. "It will make you feel better."

Will accepted the bowl, grudgingly spooning some soup into his mouth. When he had finished most of it, he handed the bowl back to Halt, who was still crouched on the floor next to him.

Halt helped the thin boy into bed and then left, hoping that Will would get better soon.

SILENCE

A week later, Alyss went back to visit the cabin, this time carrying a large package. When she swung open the door to the cabin and stepped inside, she was relived to see Will sitting on the couch, a blanket draped over his bony shoulders.

"Will!" she cried. "How are you feeling?"

"Better..." He said, grinning weakly. "What are you doing here?"

"Halt didn't tell you?" she asked, looking into the kitchen where the grizzled ranger was staking up pots on a shelf.

"No," Will said.

"I'm coming once a week to check on you," Alyss said, sitting down next to him and holding up the package that she held in her hands. "Jenny was sad that she didn't have time to come with me, so she made you some pies."

Alyss handed him the package and he set it aside, his stomach protesting at the thought of food. Alyss frowned with sadness when she saw this. In the old days, Will would stop at nothing to get his hands on one of Jenny's pies. She opened her mouth to say something about it, but decided it would be best to say nothing. They sat in uncomfortable silence for a little while.

"Listen..." Alyss said. "About Skandia..." Will looked up at her quickly, fear plain on his face.

"I'm not going to ask you to tell me anything about it. I just want you to tell me when you are ready..." Alyss finished. It took a second for her words to sink in.

"Th... thank you," Will said, his voice cracking. He smiled and looked back at the package. "You know... I think I might have one of those pies after all."

Halt smiled and stepped out of the room, leaving them both alone and stepping outside to sit on the porch. Sunlight spilled over his face, making him blink a few times. Things were beginning to look up.

* * *

**A/N: *claps* YAY FOR LONG CHAPTER XD**

**Quick question for you guys for future reference. How long would it take to get from Araluen to Redmont riding at a comfortable pace? I couldn't find it on the internet, so... cookies to the person who answers first. XD**

**I hope you liked this chapter... I spent a little more time on this one than I normally do. **

**Next up will be 'Questioning'. Any suggestions? **

**Oh yes, since I am at 80 reviews at this point, I think I might address this now. I plan on doing something special for my 100th reviewer. I am still not sure what though. I may make a special one shot just for you... or read and review one of your stories... But I'm still debating that. So keep reviewing so we can reach that 100! **

**You guys are great! Have a phenomenal week!**

**-Dawn **


	16. Questioning

**A/N: I apologize for the lateness. I am so busy right now and I have had an absolutely HORRIBLE few weeks. But, after a nice, tear filled Merlin marathon and a huge tub of chocolate chip ice cream, I am mostly back to normal. **

**Thank you for sticking with me. You guys rock so much! Thank you for all of the kind reviews. We are almost to that 100! **

**ONWARDS! XD **

**Warning: This is very sad and angsty. And there is a minor curse word or two**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

* * *

16. Questioning

The first thing he was aware of was pain; head spinning, heart pounding, all consuming pain. The ferocity of the agony made it hard for him to breathe, his throat swollen and his chest tight. He tried to cough and cried out as a fresh wave of agony ripped through his body.

He was vaguely aware of a voice in his ear, warm breath tickling his neck. He struggled as a strong hand held him down. His head was lifted and he could feel a bottle being shoved in between his teeth. Cool liquid poured down his throat. He struggled to spit it out, but the hand came up and held his nose, forcing him to swallow the foul-tasting substance.

He struggled to force his eyes open to see where he was, but it was too late. The drug took effect, and he fell unconscious once more.

QUESTIONING

The next time he woke, his mind felt more clear and his body was blissfully numb. He struggled to open his heavy eyelids, blinking a few times against the bright daylight that greeted him like an old friend.

The first thing he saw was unfamiliar thatched roof that was above his head. He heard footsteps and the click of a door latch as someone entered the room. He sat up quickly, his heart thudding in fear. The room spun and he would have tumbled off the bed if not for strong hands holding him upright.

"Steady!" said a gruff voice.

When his vision stopped spinning, he looked up to see a man with a grey beard wearing a grey-green cloak.

"How are you feeling?" the man asked.

He tried to reply, but instead, ended up coughing, hand flying to his chest. The man quickly pressed a cup of water to his lips, and he gulped it down greedily.

"How are you feeling?" the grizzled man repeated.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"The cabin... Will, don't you remember?"

"Who is Will?" he asked. His hands were trembling so hard, water began to slosh out of the cup.

"Will..." the man said. "If this is a joke, I swear..."

"Who the hell is Will?" the boy shouted, his voice breaking. The cup slipped out of his hands and clattered to the floor.

"You... you are Will..." the man said, his eyes misting over. "Do you remember what happened? With the bandits and the archer..."

"No..." the boy said, eyes widening as he realized. "I... I don't know who I am. I don't... Who am I?" The boy was shouting now, his eyes holding a look of unbridled fear. "WHO AM I?"

Halt reached out, hands clasping Will's trembling shoulders. "Calm down..." he said feebly.

"I... I... I..." The boy's eyes rolled up in his head, and he collapsed into Halt's arms.

Halt gently lay the boy onto the bed and stood, rubbing his wet eyes with the back of his hand. He glanced one last time at the boy before walking out of the room.

He grabbed his double knife scabbard before stepping out into the warm afternoon sunlight. Something was terribly wrong with his apprentice and he had to get help.

QUESTIONING

Luckily for Halt, the healer's house was on the edge of the town. He made his way quickly up the path and to the door, pounding on it with all of his might.

It took a few moments before the door swung open to reveal an old woman. "Yes, Ranger Halt?" she asked, her voice kind. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Halt nodded."My apprentice... There is something wrong with Will. We were out on a mission and some bandits attacked and he was shot... and he fell and hit his head..."

The woman nodded grimly. "Let me go get my basket." She bustled out of view for a moment and reappeared holding a whicker basket in one hand.

They headed back to the cabin, silence filling the air. By the time they made it to the cabin, the sky was dark. Halt swung open the door, leading the woman down the hall and into Will's room.

"Here he..." Halt trailed off, glancing down at the empty bed. His brain took a second to comprehend what he was seeing.

He rushed out of the room. "Will?" he called. The medicine woman followed him into the main room of the cabin.

"Will?" he called again.

"Exactly what state was he in when you left him?" the woman asked him slowly.

"He... He can't remember who he is..." Halt said. "We have to find him before he hurts himself..."

He grabbed his bow off it's peg by the door and stumbled outside. The moon was just beginning to rise, casting a pale silvery glow over the cabin.

"You can stay here if you'd like. I don't know how far he has gone..." Halt told her. He crouched down in the dust, noting the footprints leading away from the cabin that he had missed in his haste to get to Will.

He followed them around the back of the cabin to the barn. He swung open the barn door to reveal a figure slumped in the hay next to the horses.

"Damn it, Will!" he cried, crouching down by the still figure. The boy had his hands clasped around a saddle, as if he were about to go for a ride. Halt pried it out of the boy's hands and then scooped the apprentice into his arms, carrying him back into the cabin.

The healer was standing by the couch, her basket open at her feet. She looked up at him, a relieved smile on her face as she noticed the boy Halt carried in his arms.

"That was quick. Where was he?"

"The barn..." Halt said, a look of sadness flashing over his face.

"Set him on the couch," the woman said. Halt complied, gently placing the boy on the cushions. He stepped back reluctantly, letting the healer get to work.

She started by looking at Will's arrow wound, nodding with approval. "This looks like it will heal up nicely. Just keep it bandaged and clean." She then looked at his head, noting the large lump on his forehead. She opened Will's eye, looking into his pupils.

"Did you get him checked by another doctor when he was first injured?" she asked.

Halt nodded. "He gave me herbs to prevent infection and to dull pain..." The woman nodded once, looking up at him and closing her basket with a sigh.

"There is nothing I can do until he wakes..." she said.

"Thank you... You can stay here until he does..." Halt paused. "You obviously know my name, but I have never met you before. Who are you?"

"My name is Helen..." she said, smiling.

"Thank you Helen..." Halt said gruffly. "Would you like anything to drink? I have coffee or tea?"

"Tea would be nice," she muttered, sitting down on a chair with a sigh. Halt put a kettle over the fire, glad that he could busy his mind with a pointless task instead of thinking about Will.

Will...

It was at that moment that the apprentice jerked awake, crying out in pain. Halt dropped the tea bag he had found and ran to the couch.

"Will..." Helen said. She noted the look of fear on the boy's face. "It's okay. You are safe. I need you to look at me."

The apprentice complied, looking at the woman. His eyes were a bit unfocused, she noted.

"Definitely concussed. There is really nothing I can do for him," she said. "Keep giving him the herbs for his chest. Make sure he wakes up every hour... As the swelling in the brain goes down, he may start remembering who he is. For now, just take it slow and try not to upset him. If you need anything else, just find me at my house..."

Will looked at her, a confused expression plastered on his face. "What is going on."

Helen looked down kindly at him. "You hit your head... From the looks of it, it was a pretty nasty fall... I know you can't remember who you are, but you are safe with this man... Halt. You used to know him. He was your mentor..." she said, talking slowly as if to a small child.

Will felt some of his fear dissipate as she told him this. He looked up at the grizzled ranger. Now that Helen mentioned it, the ranger did seem familiar from somewhere.

"Thank you, Helen," the ranger said as he led her to the doorway. When it swung shut, he turned back to the apprentice, who was still studying him curiously.

"Helen says you are my mentor?" Will asked. "What... What was I like? You know... Before.." He stuttered.

Halt just raised an eyebrow, a small grin lighting up his face. "I see you still ask infuriating questions, even when concussed..."

Will looked at the older man, worried for a moment that he would be punished. Relief flooded through him like a tidal wave when he saw the grin on Hal't face.

"You were... are... a bright boy who learns quickly and is friendly to everyone you meet... You are the son I never had..." Halt's voice became thick with unshed tears.

Will shifted uncomfortably and yawned. Halt blinked away the tears and then said, "Get some rest... We will see how you feel in the morning..."

Will closed his eyes, falling into a deep, peaceful sleep.

QUESTIONING

Over the course of the next few days, Will gradually grew stronger. The lump on his head disappeared and the wound on his chest began to close up.

On the fourth day, while they were eating lunch, Will paused, his eyes going glassy for a moment.

Halt looked at him, worry shooting through him like an arrow. "What is it, Will?"

"I remembered something..." he commented. "I... I remembered the ward... and Alyss..."

Halt let out the breath of air that he was holding as relief charged through him. "That is wonderful!"

"I also remembered that I am terrified of you," Will said smiling tentatively.

Halt raised an eyebrow. "Scared of me? Whatever for?"

They both laughed and returned to their meals.

_Two months later..._

"Will! Stop asking me these infuriating questions!" Halt said, glaring menacingly at the young apprentice.

Will grinned. "From what I remember, Halt, you like my questions." Will lowered his voice to mimic the older ranger. "Ohhh, Will... Son... I love you and I miss your questions... Please remember who you are..."

Halt rolled his eyes, but inside he was grinning like a fool.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for that... I know it was a bit angsty... but I tried to end it on a lighiter note. XD This idea hit me out of the blue. Literally. The very first thing I started out with was "who the hell is Will?" and then it grew from there. **

**I did my research about the brain and concussions... but I know there will be things in this that aren't accurate. XD **

**AND YAY FOR LONGEST CHAPTER XD**

**Ok, this is it guys. We can make it to 100 reviews! **

**My 100th reviewer will get something special. They will have the net chapter dedicated to them and they will get a one shot of their choice from any fandom they want (that I know of course...) I will PM my 100th reviewer. **

**Note: If my 100th reviewer is anonymous, the prize goes to the 101st reviewer. Sorry anonymous peeps. **

**Next up is 'Blood'. **

**-Dawn **


	17. Blood

**A/N: I am so sorry this took so long. A combination of things caused me to be tardy, including the fact that I got very addicted to everything Star Trek...**

**YOU GUYS ROCK SO MUCH! Thank you for every person who left a review and helped me push to the 100 mark. **

**I would like to thank two reviewers specifically. Ranger Robin was my 100th reviewer! I desperately wish you could receive the prize of your own fanfiction of your choice, but as you are anonymous... I apologize greatly. Here is a virtual cookie instead. **

**Anyways, Hatakefire was my 101st reviewer! She requested I write a Sherlock fanfiction, which is taking me a long time to write, but it should be up in a little bit... **

**Anyways, to the chapter!**

**Warning: Descriptions of blood... **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

* * *

17. Blood

Halt patted Abelard on the nose, dropping the brush into a bin and stepping outside the stable. Out of habit, he glanced around, looking for his apprentice before remembering that Will had gone off for a visit with Horace.

He sighed, realizing how dull the day would be without his apprentice to give orders to.

His thoughts were interrupted by a crashing sound coming from the forest. Halt reached down, hand clasping around his knife.

A young man catapulted through the trees and into the clearing, eyes frantically searching. When the man saw Halt, he rushed forward, hands clasping at the ranger's gray-green cloak. "Ranger Halt!" he rasped. "Come quickly! There... You have to..." The man was now gasping for breath, his face red and his hands shaking.

Halt gently, removed the trembling hands from his cloak, grasping onto the man's shoulders. "Slow down and take a breath," he said, his voice calm.

The stranger nodded, taking a few shallow breaths before continuing. "You must come quickly! There has been an accident!"

Halt raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be calling a physician then?" he asked. There was a strange feeling in his gut as he realized that only one thing could have happened. And then the man confirmed his deepest fears.

"Your apprentice," the stranger said.

Halt immediately let go of the man's shoulders, straightening up. "Lead the way," he said, his voice hoarse. The calm feeling he had created dissipated as they made their way to the castle and through the streets, only coming to stop at the battle school training yard.

A figure lay on the ground, unmoving. Horace held the limp form in his lap, his hands trembling as he pressed them to the injured apprentice's chest.

Halt rushed forwards, pushing his way through the small crowd of people and crouching down next to them. He pushed Horace out of the way, taking the boy in his arms.

Halt had seen many injuries in his time as a ranger. He was used to the sight of blood and gore. But there was something about his apprentices blood, spilling out onto the ground in pools, that made his stomach turn in horror.

"Will," he said, hands shaking as he pushed his apprentice's hair back. "Son," he said, his voice cracked slightly.

Will's eyes fluttered open, resting on the man leaning above him. "Halt..." he said.

"Shhhh... Don't try to talk, son..." Halt said. "It's going to be okay..."

There was a small smile on Will's face. Halt pushed aside the nagging voice in his mind, moving his hands to find the source of all of the crimson blood.

"What happened?" Halt said, looking around.

Will's hand reached inside his cloak, reaching for a small object that was inside. At first, Halt thought he was attempting to pull a knife from his broken body. But then, Will handed him a small object.

Will leaned up, his mouth moving weakly. Halt leaned his head next to the boy just in time to hear Will say, "April Fools, Halt," before collapsing.

The object that Will had handed him was a bright red tomato. Will sat up grinning.

* * *

**A/N: XD I bet I had you going for a bit there, didn't I? I couldn't resist. I hope it made sense... if you have any questions feel free to PM me or leave a review. **

**Next up will be 'Rainbow'. Any requests for that chapter? **

**Thank you for reading.. Until next time! **

**-Dawn **


	18. Rainbow

**A/N: Le gasp! Another chapter? This early? I know... Crazy, right? But it isn't the end of the world. **

**This chapter is purely humor. I felt I deserved to give you a break from the angst. Special thanks to MagicGold34 for giving me the idea. **

_**Warning: This is in NO WAY meant to be taken seriously. At all... **_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

* * *

18. Rainbow

Halt was alone when he saw it. He was practicing his archery, shooting arrow after arrow at numerous targets placed around the clearing. He had just emptied another quiver of arrows and was about to go collect them when he felt eyes on the back of his head.

He pretended not to notice the feeling, instead heading over to the nearest target and pulling an arrow from the soft wood. He spun around, put the arrow to the string, and, with one swift movement, pulled the string back. His mouth opened to make a threat, to warn away the person whom was hiding among the trees.

That was when he saw it. Its golden fur shone in the faint sunlight, the coat glossing where firm, strong muscles rippled underneath. Its mane and tail were white, floating on the wind like a silk blanket. On the creatures forehead, a white horn jutted out of the gold fur. Silver veins traveled through the horn, giving it a sparkly, unreal appearance.

Halt dropped his bow, taking a shaking step towards the unicorn. The creature stared at him with golden, peaceful eyes. The depth and beauty of the look sent a slight shiver through Halt's spine. He didn't think he had ever seen something so pure... so... beautiful.

Halt took another step forward, reaching out a hand and placing it on the velvety golden nose. "You are a beauty," he said, fondling the unicorn's ears. His hands trailed down to rest on the horn. It felt cool as ice to his shaking fingers.

The unicorn stepped away from him, and Halt immediately felt like he had lost a friend, his hands aching for the velvety fur.

"Wait!" he called as it trotted into the trees. Halt followed, not bothering to pick up his bow.

The unicorn slowed to a walk, picking its way carefully through the forest and occasionally glancing behind, as if checking to make sure that Halt followed.

The unicorn stopped as it reached another clearing, moving aside so Halt could get a better look. Bright, golden sunlight cascaded down, pooling on the ground and sending splashes of color through the clearing.

Red.

Orange.

Yellow.

Green.

Blue.

Indigo.

Violet.

A rainbow, Halt realized. His eyes traveled to where the rainbow fell upon a huge pot of gold.

"What is this?" he asked the unicorn, stepping forwards and gathering the gold in his hands.

The unicorn snorted in response, stepping besides Halt and resting its head on his shoulder. Halt grinned and patted the nose.

He began stuffing his cloak with as much of the gold as he could, his thoughts drifting to exactly how much coffee he was going to buy when he reached the cabin.

"But where is the leprechaun?" he wondered aloud, eyes drifting from the pot of gold to the surrounding trees. "Quick! We have to get out of here before it comes back!"

As he said this, a crashing sound erupted through the trees. A giant foot slammed down next to him, crushing trees and sending wood splinters flying through the air. A giant man, with a red beard and green overalls, looked down upon him, face scrunched in confusion as he saw Halt.

The giant leprechaun reached out, grabbing Halt away from the gold and the unicorn.

"No! Put me down!" Halt shouted, trying to reach for at leas one more piece of gold.

"YOU DARE STEAL GOLD FROM ME?" it cried, squeezing Halt in his fist.

"Save me, unicorn!" Halt cried. Black spots clouded his vision. The unicorn whinnied, rearing up on its hind legs. Halt watched in horrified wonder as the gold fur turned into silver skin. The strong muscled legs turned into silver fins. The only thing that remained was the horn.

The newly formed narwhal flew through the sky, stabbing its horn into the giant leprechaun's hand.

The leprechaun screamed, dropping Halt and clutching its injured fist to its side. The narwhal swooped in and caught Halt, flying up into the clouds, out of the reach of the giant.

Halt shouted in delight as the narwhal swooped through the air, taking him back home to his cabin.

RAINBOW

"Halt!" Will called, eyes searching the cabin for the familiar face of his mentor. The grizzled ranger was nowhere is sight.

Will felt a flash of worry shoot through him. It was already noon, and Halt was usually awake, pestering Will to get outside and practice, or make himself useful in some way.

"Halt?" Will called, stumbling tiredly down the hallway and pounding on the ranger's door. There was no answer. "Halt, I'm coming in..."

He hesitantly swung the door open, revealing an empty bed, the covers strewn over the floor. Will decided to check the stable to see if Abelard was there. Halt could have gotten called to the castle for an important meeting with the baron, Will rationalized.

He grabbed his cloak and stepped out into the sunlight, making his way to the stable.

He opened the stable door, stepping inside. He glanced into Abelard's stall, his feeling of dread growing as he saw the horse munching on hay in the corner. Halt hadn't been called away...

Will heard Tug nicker. "Not now, Tug," he called, turning around. "I don't have time to..." He trailed off as he saw a figure standing in Tug's stall.

"H... Halt?" Will asked, opening the stall door and rushing inside. Halt was stroking the horse, a dreamy, vacant look in his eyes.

"Yessss Will?" Halt asked. "Have you met my beautiful friend here? He is a unicorn-narwhal and I looove him!" Halt took a bit of Tug's tail and stuck it in his mouth.

"I'm eating a clloooouuuddd!" he cried happily.

Will wished he knew how to draw so he could keep this image forever. "Halt?" he asked, face breaking into a grin. His hand reached out, shaking the older man's shoulder.

"It's time to wake up, Halt," Will said. The ranger blinked a few times, the glassy look in his eyes gradually disappearing.

"Will?" he asked suddenly, glancing around. "What... Where?"

"You were sleepwalking, Halt," Will said, his face blank.

Halt looked down, eyes resting on his mouth, which still held a bit of Tug's tail. He spat it out, making a disgusted face.

Will started guffawing, clutching his side.

"Shut up," Halt told him, his expression dark, almost threatening.

"I... I... Can't," Will said between his laughter. "You... You thought Tug was a unicorn... and... his tail was.. was a cloud..." Just as he was about to manage control, he burst out laughing again.

Halt rolled his eyes, his mind already plotting his revenge on his apprentice. He wouldn't let his dignity be crushed like this. He would avenge his dignity if it were the last thing he would ever do.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed that... interesting... one shot. I don't even know how to feel about it. I know Halt was OOC, but come on. He was dreaming... And I just couldn't resist this opportunity. **

**Next up is Gray. I pretty much have an idea for that one, but if you have any requests, feel free to leave a review. **

**Thank you so much for reading and have a phenomenal day! **

**-Dawn **


	19. Gray

**A/N: Here is another one! I know, I am on a roll, aren't I?**

**A big thank you to everyone who reviewed for the last few chapters. I really love the feedback. Most of you wanted a one shot of Halt getting revenge... Do not fear! I will write one when the opportunity arises. This chapter just seemed better suited for something else.**

**Warning: None for this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice. Also, the song in italics is from the book... I didn't make that up either...**

* * *

19. Gray

Halt glanced up as a screeching note came from his apprentice's room. He sighed, looking back down at the mound of paperwork he still had to complete. He had just managed to focus again when another grating chord sounded through the cabin.

"Blasted mandola," he muttered to himself. Why he still put up with it being practiced in the cabin was beyond him.

Just when he thought that his situation couldn't get any worse, his apprentice started to sing.

_Graybeard Halt is a friend of mine _

_He lives on Redmont's hill _

_Graybeard Halt never took a bath _

_And they say He never will! _

He tried to ignore the new song and turn back to the pile of papers scattered across his table.

_Fare thee well, Graybeard Halt _

_Fare thee well, I say _

_Fare thee well, Graybeard Halt _

_I'll see you on your way _

Will began to sing louder, his voice becoming more confident as he strummed his mandola with a new vigor.

Halt closed his eyes, trying to block out the noise.

_Graybeard Halt, he lost a bet _

_He lost his winter coat _

_When winter comes, Halt stays warm _

_By sleeping 'mongst the goats. _

"Will! Come here for a minute!" he shouted, finally giving in to his frustration. Will tentatively opened his door and sat down at the table, his mandola still in his hands.

"Yes, Halt?" he asked, his face a mask of innocence. "Is there something I can help you with?" Will's mouth twitched up in the shadows of a grin.

"Do you really have to sing that song right now? I am trying to get some work done!" Halt said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice.

"I have to practice or else I wont get any better! After all, you are always saying how it sounds like I am torturing small animals…"

And in saying that, Will struck another chord and started singing again.

_Fare thee well, Graybeard Halt _

_Fare thee well, I say _

_Fare thee well, Graybeard Halt _

_I'll see you on your way. _

_Graybeard Halt, he lives with goats _

_That's what I've heard tell _

_He hasn't changed his socks for years _

_But the goats doesn't mind the smell! _

_Halt growled incoherently._

_Fare thee well, Graybeard Halt _

_Fare thee well, I say _

_Fare thee well, Graybeard Halt _

_I'll see you on your way _

"Will!"

His apprentice looked up at him, an innocent expression plastered on his face.

"Yes, Halt? I'm just practicing," he said, strumming the mandola lightly as he spoke.

"Yes," Halt said calmly, an idea popping into his mind. "But you really should be practicing your ranger skills." His voice now had an evil edge to it.

"But, Halt. It's ten o'clock at night…" Will gulped, his fingers pausing over the fretboard when he heard the menacing undertone of his mentor's voice,

"I know that. Do you think an attacking party of Temujai are going to stop just because it's night time?" Halt asked, his eyebrow raising. Will shook his head, swallowing nervously.

Halt stood up, setting down his papers and walking to the door. He swung it open, glancing around for a second before turning back to his apprentice.

"Come here," he said gruffly. Will stood, placing his mandola on the table and stumbling over to the door.

"You see that tree, Will?" Halt asked, his finger pointing to tall oak standing beside the cabin. Will nodded, downcast.

"I want you to go climb it and STAY THERE!" Halt slammed the door after him, chuckling. His laughter was cut off by the sound of a voice coming from the trees.

_Graybeard Halt is a fighting man _

_I've heard common talk _

_That Graybeard Halt, he cuts his hair _

_With a carving knife and fork! _

_Fare thee well, Graybeard Halt _

_Fare thee well, I say _

_Fare thee well, Graybeard Halt _

_I'll see you on your way_

* * *

**A/N: There you are! I hope you enjoyed. **

**Next chapter is Fortitude... Any suggestions? **

**Thanks again for reading! **

**-Dawn **


	20. Fortitude

**A/N: Sorry this took a bit longer. I got stuck on the prompt for a few days and had to rewrite it over and over again. **

**Thank you all for sticking with me. I appreciate all of the kind reviews and I look forward to hearing all of your comments. XD**

**Warning: None **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

* * *

20. Fortitude

The ship stood tall, making the others look like toys floating in the water. It's side gleamed in the sunlight, the paint shining and the wood new. The word 'Fortitude' was painted on the side in yellow, glinting.

"What does fortitude mean, Halt?" asked a young man.

The person he had addressed sighed. "Gilan, must you always ask these insufferable questions? Fortitude means courage in troubled times... a good example of this is when I put up with you."

There was silence for a few moments as the two figures watched the crew of the ship bustle about, loading provisions and supplies. Gilan looked up at his mentor, excitement on his face. He was practically bouncing from foot to foot, his pack gripped in his hands.

"Is the ship ready to board yet?" he asked, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the vessel in front of them.

"Gilan, that is the third time you have asked me that question in the last five minutes. When the ship is ready to board, the captain will tell us!" Halt said, his voice sharp.

The apprentice glanced at his mentor worriedly, noticing the older man's tense shoulders. "Are you okay, Halt?" he asked.

"Just fine," Halt said, his tone softer than before.

It was at that moment that the captain came down from the ship, making his way through the crowded docks to where the two rangers were standing.

"It's ready for you, sir," the man said with a small smile. He then led the way up the ramp to the ship.

Halt felt his stomach clench as he stepped aboard, his body rocking with the slight movement of the ship. He took a calming breath, looking around the deck.

The ship was even more beautiful up close, but Halt had no time to admire the view. He went and sat down at the nearest seat, clutching his stomach as the ship lurched into motion.

"Are you sure you are alright, Halt?" Gilan asked.

"Just fine," Halt said as they sailed into open sea.

FORTITUDE

Another terrible retching sound came from the side of the boat. Gilan turned away, his own stomach churning in sympathy for his mentor.

"Are you okay?" he asked after the grizzled ranger finished.

Halt glared at his apprentice, but the look was more pathetic than frightening, mainly due to the fact that Halt was trembling like a leaf. "Of course I am not okay," he growled, but then had to clamp his hand over his mouth.

"Do you... do you get seasick?" Gilan asked his mentor, his disbelief showing plainly in his voice.

Halt didn't answer, instead hanging his head back over the side of the boat.

"Captain?" Gilan asked, going over to the man who was standing at the side. "Is there anything we can do for him?"

"There is no cure for seasickness. You just have to get your sea legs," the captain said. "It's a nasty business, seasickness."

Gilan went back to sit by his mentor, hoping that the boat ride would be over soon.

FORTITUDE

"Halt?" Gilan asked several days later. They were still on the boat, but the grizzled ranger's stomach had settled, making the ride much more peaceful and enjoyable.

"Yes, Gilan?"

"Why did you accept the oversea mission if you knew you would get seasick?" the apprentice asked, looking at his mentor with wide eyes.

Halt studied the boy for a moment. "It's not like I could turn Crowley down. I am a ranger and I must do my duty to Araluen."

Gilan nodded, trying to hide a grin. "Halt," he said, laughing. "I can't believe you of all people get seasick. You!"

Halt glared at his apprentice and Gilan stopped laughing abruptly.

"You will never let go of this will you?" Halt asked after a moment.

"Nope!" Gilan said happily.

Halt made a silent promise to make his apprentice work extra hard once they got to solid ground again.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading. There was a bit of Gilan as an apprentice... I hope you enjoyed it! **

**Next up is 'Vacation'. As always, I am open to suggestions. **

**Also, if any of you are into BBC Sherlock, I just posted a new story and I would love it if you checked it out. **

**Live long and prosper! **

**-Dawn **


	21. Vacation

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I love all of the feedback. You are amazing!**

**So I tried something very different in this chapter. You will all either love it or hate it with a passion... I would love to hear what you all think, so please review. XD**

**There is an important question in the bottom author's note. So please, once you are done reading, I would love to hear your answers to my question. **

**Warning: I took a chance with this one shot... I really hope you guys like it...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

* * *

21. Vacation

Will pulled out his cell phone, excitedly checking the time. "Only ten more minutes, Halt!" he cried, his eyes searching the surrounding crowd for his friends.

Halt rolled his eyes with a smirk. "They will be here... don't worry."

Will didn't answer, scanning the airport again. His eyes came to rest on a tall, blonde figure walking towards him. Next to her was a familiar, bulky figure who was using his large arms to push his way over to them.

"Horace! Alyss!" Will cried.

Horace grinned, and Alyss stepped forward to sweep Will into a hug.

"How has all that Ranger work been going for you?" Alyss asked, smiling radiantly.

"Actually really great! I got a new gun last week at the gathering and then I got the news from Crowley that we would be going on vacation! Halt just didn't tell me you two would be coming along until this morning."

Halt raised an eyebrow. "I didn't tell you sooner because I knew that if I did, you wouldn't stop pelting me with useless questions," he responded, his tone serious.

Horace just grinned again. "You haven't changed, Halt."

"You change too much," the ranger growled, pulling his cameo jacket closer around him.

"How is working with the army?" Will asked the tall soldier.

"Stressful!" Horace responded. "I don't know what to do half of the time! But Rodney insists that I am doing everything right... But Alyss didn't tell you the good news!"

It was at that moment that the intercom came on, signaling them that their plane was ready to board. The crowd around them began to move, and the four figures followed, climbing into the plane and making their way slowly to their seats.

"What was the good news that you didn't tell me?" Will asked the blonde as he sat next to her, placing his small carry on bag at his feet.

"Oh, it's not anything super important," she responded, her eyes sparkling. "I just got my first mission with the couriers. It isn't anything too special... I just have to hand a governess some papers and then step back and stay quiet."

"But that's great!" Will exclaimed loudly, making several people turn and glare at him. Will lowered his voice. "When is it?"

"As soon as I get back from this little vacation," Alyss responded, brushing a piece of blonde hair away from her eyes. Will's stomach did a little flip flop inside of him as she smiled at him, and he turned away from her, his face heating up.

They continued to chatter for some time after the plane took off, Halt even joining in on the conversation at one point.

VACATION

"Do you get airsick, Halt?" Will asked his mentor during a lull in the conversation.

"No," Halt growled.

"Not even a little?" Will asked innocently.

"No," Halt growled again.

"Why did you ask?" Alyss said, her mouth tilted up in the shadows of a smile.

"He gets seasick!" Will said.

"That was one time!"

VACATION

The plane landed slowly, coming to a halt on the runway of the Orlando Airport. Will stood, grabbing his bag and stretching his sore muscles.

"I am so glad that is over with," he commented as they stepped into the sunlight. The sky above was solid blue, not a single cloud in sight. Will tilted his face upwards, enjoying the feeling of being outside again. He hated being cooped up, always dreading the long flights to the gathering every year. There was something about not being able to feel the sun on his face and the wind in his hair that got to him.

His thoughts were interrupted by a tug on his hand. "Come on, Will!" Alyss said, smiling. "I thought you were excited to get to the park!"

Will nodded once, following her into the airport. Halt had already collected their bags when he arrived, a bored expression on his face as he leaned nonchalantly on the wall.

"Ready?" he asked as the three young adults approached him. "The car is out front."

They exited the airport, and it didn't take them long to come upon a black SUV, which was unmarked except for the small government license plate.

They all piled in, throwing the luggage in the back. The car pulled out of the parking lot, driving away from the airport.

VACATION

"The wheels on the bus go round and round!"

"No, Will. Stop."

"Round and round!"

"Will... I'm warning you."

"Round and round!"

"Will..."

"The wheels on the... OW! Halt! What was that for!?"

VACATION

Halt was relieved when the car pulled up to the amusement park. The driver gave them the address of the hotel, handing Halt a room key and telling Halt to call him when they were finished.

Halt nodded his thanks to the man and then led the three apprentices into Disney World, hoping that he could survive the day.

VACATION

"Halt, you have to ride the teacups with us!" Will said pleadingly. Halt shook his head.

"There is only so low I will go!" he said gruffly, raising an eyebrow at his apprentice's begging face.

Horace looked back and forth between mentor and apprentice, glad to just be the innocent bystander. Will elbowed him in the side, glaring at the bulkier boy.

"Oh, yeah! Halt you have to at least try it once!" Horace said quickly.

Halt shook his head again. Will thought for a moment, an idea popping into his head.

"Oh well, I guess we will just go by ourselves if you are too afraid!" Will called, stepping in line with Horace and Alyss in tow.

"I am not afraid!" Halt said.

"Sure, Halt," Will said. "Prove it to us."

Halt rolled his eyes, stepping into the line with them. "Damn manipulative boy," he snarled as the line moved forward.

Will grinned at his mentor, leading the man over to a blue tea cup. "After you," he said.

Halt climbed into the teacup, sitting down. Will climbed in next to him. He twisted in his seat, grinning when he saw that Alyss had forced Horace to go to one of the pink cups.

"Now, I will go slow for you if you are too scared," Will told his mentor, grinning when Halt glared at him. He put his hands on the wheel in the center as the ride began.

He was about to start twisting it when, to his surprise, Halt joined in, twisting the wheel as hard as he could. Will shouted, grabbing on to the side of the teacup as the world spun around him.

Halt spun the wheel faster, and Will felt the odd sensation that he was about to be thrown from the teacup. "H.. Halt!" he tried to shout. "Stop it!"

Halt looked over at his apprentice, turning the wheel as hard as he could, his muscular arms making the teacup spin like a top. Disappointment filled him as the ride ended, the teacups slowing to a stop and the wheel locking in place.

He opened the small door in the side of the cup, climbing out. Will unsteadily followed him, the world tilting as his head spun.

"Was that too scary for you, Will?" Halt asked, giving his apprentice an innocent look.

Will would have rolled his eyes, except for the fact that they were spinning inside his head.

Horace and Alyss followed them out of the ride, watching as Will stumbled around.

"What did you do?" Alyss laughed.

"Nothing," Halt replied, and then strode off to find another, more interesting ride.

"What about Space Mountain?" Horace asked. They all dashed into the building to get in line.

VACATION

"Oh. My. God. Look, Halt! Look!" Will shouted, pointing a finger across the pathway.

Halt glanced at the direction his apprentice was pointing in. "What?" he asked.

"It's freaking Cinderella! Come on, lets go get a picture."

Before Halt could do anything, Will had grabbed his hand, dragging the grizzled ranger over to where Cinderella stood.

"Hello, Cinderella! My friend really wants to meet you!" Will said, shoving Halt towards her. He then pulled out his camera and proceeded to take hundreds of pictures.

"Hello, sir! It is nice to meet you," she said.

"Nice to meet you too," Halt growled, backing away. "Now goodbye."

Horace grabbed Halt's arm quickly. "You have to at least get a group picture with all of us."

Halt shook his head miserably as Horace dragged him over to stand by the princess. Alyss followed, and Will, after asking a stranger to take a picture of them, stood next to her.

"Smile!" the stranger said, clicking the button on the camera, signaling a flash.

Will stepped forward and looked down at the picture, grinning when he saw it. "Perfect. Thank you, Cinderella!"

The princess gave a small wave goodbye before turning to the next person waiting to meet her.

VACATION

The rest of the day passed in a blur of roller coasters, sugary foods, and fireworks. The sky was pitch black by the time they made it back to the hotel.

They were all exhausted, Halt flopping onto the bed with a small moan.

"Best. Vacation. Ever." Will jumped onto the other bed after saying this, burying his head in the pillow with a sigh.

Halt was surprised to find that he agreed with his apprentice, though he would never say so aloud.

* * *

**A/N: So... What did you think? Yep, that was a futuristic Rangers fanfiction... I just wanted to stick Halt and Will in an amusement park! XD **

**IMPORTANT! Did you guys like me putting the Ranger's in the future? Would you like to see some more of it, or should this be a one-time deal?**

**Thank you so much for reading. Next chapter is 'Mother Nature'. **

**Also, if any of you like Merlin, I just posted a new Merlin fanfiction a few days ago. I would love it if you checked it out! XD**

**Thanks again for reading! You are the best!**

**-Dawn **


	22. Mother Nature

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the feedback from last chapter. I don't think I will do any fore future!rangers one-shots, but I *may* write a separate story with future!rangers... That probably wont happen for a while because I am very busy with my Merlin ideas right now. XD**

**Anyways, here is the next one shot. I hope you enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

* * *

22. Mother Nature

"Come on, Colin! We haven't got all day you know!" Will cried down to hallway of the cabin, his foot tapping impatiently on the hardwood floor.

A small head peeked out of the room to his left, brown hair disheveled. "Is it time to go to Grandpa Halt's house?" the boy asked excitedly, his blue eyes lighting up.

Will nodded, a small shadow of a smile on his face. "Grab your practice knives so you can show Grandpa what you learned."

"Ok, daddy." The boy's head disappeared for a moment and Will heard a few slamming noises coming from the room. Colin appeared, a pair of small, weighted sticks in his hands.

Alyss was waiting for them by the horses, her blonde hair blowing out in the wind like silk. She smiled radiantly when she saw the two approaching.

"Ready?" she asked.

Colin nodded excitedly. "I'm gonna show Grandpa the moves I learned!"

Will lifted his son onto his horse, turning to Alyss, who was frowning.

"I wish you wouldn't teach him how to fight just yet," she muttered.

"I know... But he needs to know how to defend himself," Will replied, his hands traveling to her face and pulling her in for a kiss. He brushed his lips gingerly on the side of her cheekbones, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

Their next kiss was interrupted by Colin groaning. "Ewww, Mommy. Stop it, you're spreading germs."

Alyss laughed, pushing her husband away and climbing onto her horse, one hand pressed gingerly over the small lump of her belly.

Will mounted behind Colin, holding the boy so that he wouldn't fall out of the saddle when they started riding.

MOTHER NATURE

They arrived at Halt's cabin later that day, the sky a dark pink as the sun set behind the trees. Will quickly rubbed down the horses, leading an excited Colin and a tired wife into the welcoming cabin.

Halt was sitting by the fire, glancing up as they walked into the room.

"Grandpa!"

The grizzled man was suddenly hit by a blur of color, a pair of small arms wrapping around his waist.

Halt patted the boy on the shoulder, before turning to his former apprentice. "He takes after you, Will," Halt growled.

Will grinned, nodding. The cabin was silent for a moment as Halt pried the small arms off of him.

Colin only let go when he remembered the practice knives that were tucked into his belt. The boy grabbed the knives quickly, turning to Halt. "Look, Grandpa! Look what I can do."

Halt watched amusedly as the boy brought the sticks up, holding them in a shaky, ready position. The boy brought them up, trying to twist his body around and slash behind him as he threw one of the sticks at the wall. It clattered to the ground, and Halt briefly remembered trying to teach Will that move long ago, when he didn't have his golden oak leaf.

"Very nice, Colin. Next time, spread your feet out a little more for balance," Halt commented.

Will smiled in thanks at his former mentor as Colin tried the move again. "How is retirement treating you?" Alyss asked politely.

Halt grimaced. "It's too quiet... dull. Never grow old, Will."

Will grinned. "I never intend to."

"How's the baby doing?" Halt asked.

Alyss rubbed her stomach. "Good. The doctors say I am doing really well... the baby is healthy and strong. We are hoping for a little girl."

Colin was watching the exchange, his knives discarded on the floor. He strutted over to Halt, plopping himself on the old man's lap.

"Halt?" he asked suddenly, his wide, blue eyes staring up at the retired ranger admiringly.

"Yes, Colin?" Halt responded.

"Where do babies come from?"

Will snorted and Alyss covered her smile as Halt visibly paled. Silence filled the cabin, the young boy staring expectantly up at the grizzled man.

"Yeah, Halt? Where do babies come from?" Will prompted. "Explain to him about the birds and the bees... Mother Nature, you know? Alyss and I will go make some coffee." Will dragged his wife out of the room hurriedly, and Halt could just make out the laughter coming from the other side of the cabin.

He turned to look at the small boy in his lap, swallowing. "Well..." He coughed once. "When a woman and a man love each other very much..." He paused and Colin nodded seriously.

"...a bird called a stork flies from up in the sky and drops the baby at the mommy and daddy's doorstep for them to find."

Colin nodded. "My mommy is expecting the birdy to come. She says I'm getting a brother or a sister!"

Halt nodded, feeling confident that he had diverted the young child's question.

"Grandpa?" Colin asked again, and Halt's stomach dropped.

"What?" he growled.

"What if the parent doesn't find the baby on the door?" Colin asks.

"Then the baby dies," Halt said without thinking.

"Oh," Collin replied, his eyes widening. He looked down at his knives for a moment, the sight of the small sticks being enough to distract him from his question. "Teach me a move! Daddy says I gotta know how to 'fend myself!"

Halt sighed in relief, standing up to help the boy.

MOTHER NATURE

"Daddy?" Colin asked on the ride home.

"Yes?" Will replied, one hand on the reins, the other stroking his son's soft brown hair.

"When my brother or sister is dropped of by the big birdy, make sure you find him on the porch. Grandpa says he will die if you don't," Colin said, swinging his legs as they rode.

Will stared down at his son incredulously. What had his mentor _done?_

* * *

**A/N: That was so much fun to write, you have no idea. XD I hope you enjoyed. **

**Please review and tell me what you think! I love to hear from you guys. **

**Next up is 'Cat'. Any suggestions?**

**-Dawn **


	23. Cat

**A/N: You guys rock! Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to read this story. I have had over 5,400 views now... it's just crazy! XD**

**Thank you for all of the suggestions for this chapter. I really wish could have used them all. But you all seemed to like Colin, so I added him into this chapter again. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice.**

* * *

23. Cat

Will glanced up from his paperwork, the cabin door opening and then slamming shut with a bang as a little figure tottered inside. He could only see the top of they boy's brown haired head over the table, his hands concealed from sight.

"Where is Mommy, Colin?" Will asked, looking back down at his work with a sigh.

"She's outside reading," Colin answered, lifting his arms up with a grin. "Look what I found, daddy!"

Will nearly fell out of his chair when he saw the kitten grasped in his son's chubby hands.

"Where did you find that?" he asked, staring at the small, black and white fluff ball. It squirmed for a moment, its little green eyes blinking as it looked back at him.

"I found it under the porch," Colin answered, clutching the squirming animal to his chest. "Can we keep it, daddy?"

"Colin," Will said, his hear falling. He let out a gasp of relief when the door swung open again, revealing his wife. Alyss grinned when she saw the boy, holding the cat for dear life.

Colin spun around, his eyes lighting up when he saw his mother. "Look! I found a kitty!"

"Oh, it's so cute!" Alyss took the kitten from her son, stroking the soft fur with two fingers. The kitten mewled as she lifted it up, checking under its legs.

"Girl!" she exclaimed. Will opened his mouth, about to interrupt her, but she continued to speak excitedly. "What do you want to call her?" she kneeled next to Colin.

"Fluffy!" Colin shouted, giggling.

Alyss smiled again, standing up straight and holding the kitten out to Will. "Fluffy it is," she said.

Will stepped back quickly. "We can't keep her," he said, making Alyss give him a sharp look.

"Why not?" she asked, bringing the kitten closer to Will. "It's just a kitten. We were thinking about getting Colin a pet anyways."

Will shook his head. "We were thinking about getting him a dog," he said, and then sneezed, covering his mouth quickly.

Alyss stared at her husband for a moment in shock. "Wait..." she said, bringing the kitten away from Will as he sneezed again. "Are you allergic to cats?"

Will nodded sheepishly, and Alyss rolled her eyes mockingly. "You could have told me this before," she commented and then turned to Colin. "We can't keep Fluffy."

"Why?" Colin whined, his little eyes filling with tears.

"Because..." Alyss said, her brain whirling as she tried to explain the situation to her young son. "Because..."

Little tears started leaking out of the boys eyes.

"Daddy is going to get you a puppy!" Alyss said quickly, and Colin stopped crying, wiping his eyes with the back of his small, pudgy hand.

"Puppy?" he asked. "But where will Fluffy go?"

"Daddy is going to find Fluffy a new, safe home and then he is going to go pick up your puppy and bring it home... Right?"

"Uhhh... Yeah!" Will said, walking to the door. "I'm going to go right now."

Giving Alyss a quick kiss, he left the cabin and went to his horse, saddling it up and riding out to the city.

CAT

It didn't take him long to come upon a small stable. He dismounted his horse and stepped up to the door, rapping his knuckles lightly agains the worn wood.

A woman swung the door open, a bucket of horse feed in her hands. "Ranger Will!" she exclaimed. "What can I do for you?"

Will smiled at the woman, stepping inside the stable and looking around. "Sarah, I need you to do me a favor. Your dog had puppies 8 weeks ago, correct?"

The woman nodded, her brow wrinkling in confusion. "Yes..."

"I was wondering if I could buy one... My son..." Will trailed off and Sarah smiled in understanding.

"Right this way," she said, leading Will into one of the horse stalls. A dog lay on her side, five small puppies tucked around her. The dog was a pale golden color, each of her puppies a similar shade of gold.

"Which one would you like?" she asked and Will bent down in the straw, stroking each one of the small animals in turn. Eventually, he picked up the smallest, holding it up to check under its legs and seeing that it was a boy.

"I'll take this little one," he said, stroking the soft fur and stepping out of the stable. "I will pay you next week."

"No no no, I am in no need of money. It is the least I can do after you helping my son out. Take care, Ranger Will."

Will nodded, mounting his horse and clutching the puppy to his chest. He rode for some time, wondering where on earth he was going to find a family that wanted a kitten. An idea flew into his mind and he rode out of the city, back to his cabin.

CAT

"Colin!" Will called. "I have something for you."

He held out the puppy to his son, setting the still sleeping animal onto the ground and letting Colin pet the dog. He turned to Alyss, who was still holding the kitten.

He took the kitten from her, sneezing again and going back over to his horse.

"See you in a bit!" he called behind him, glancing one last time at his son, who was excitedly poking the puppy with one finger.

CAT

Halt was just sitting down for his evening coffee when he heard it. At first he thought that he had imagined the small mewling sound that came from outside his cabin. But the noise came again and Halt set down his coffee, stepping out of the door and looking around.

He spotted the black and white kitten, which was stumbling up to his porch unsteadily. Halt picked up the kitten, stroking the soft fur gently with two fingers.

"Who would abandon such a cute little thing?" Halt asked, carrying the kitten inside and shutting the door softly.

Will, who was hiding in the shadows of the trees, smiled, his mission accomplished.

* * *

**A/N: So... yeah... I hope you enjoyed. Please leave me a review and tell me what you thought! **

**Next up will be called 'No Time'. Does anyone have a suggestion? **

**Thank you for reading! Until next time. XD **

**-Dawn **


	24. No Time

**A/N: Hi everyone! You guys are just amazing! I have way more reviews for this story than I thought I would ever get! I love it so very much. You all keep me going.**

**I would like to give special thanks to Book Soldier for giving me the idea for this chapter. You rock, Book Soldier!**

**Warning: Angst and descriptive illness and Will!whump.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice. *sighs dramatically***

* * *

24. No Time

"Will!" Halt called through the door, slinging his bag over his shoulder and grabbing his bow. "Come on, we have no time to laze about. The horses are ready!"

The door swung open and the apprentice stumbled out of his room, his hair a disheveled mess. He was still slipping his cloak on, his hands pulling a bag behind him as he closed the door with a kick of his foot.

Halt raised an eyebrow, watching as the apprentice grabbed his bow from the hook on the wall. "I'm ready, I'm ready!" he said.

Will stumbled outside, blinking as the bright sunlight hit his eyes, reflecting off the hard packed snow. "Where are we going?" Will asked excitedly, wrapping his mottled cloak around his body.

"We have to go meet up with Crowley. He has an assignment for us," Halt said, climbing up onto Abelard. Will mounted Tug, holding the reins tightly in his cold hands. Halt nudged Abelard lightly, and they headed into the forest

NO TIME

It was dark when they decided to make camp, the half moon spreading weak, silver light over the clearing that they had chosen.

Will swung down from Tug's back, his muscles sore and his knees feeling like jelly. He leaned against Tug's side as his head spun for a moment.

Halt glanced at his apprentice, his sharp eyes seeing the boy's pale complexion. He was careful not to show worry on his face as he started building up a fire, glancing every so often in the direction of Will, who was untying his saddle bags with fumbling fingers.

Will slowly made his way over to the warm flames, sitting down with a sigh and tossing the bag to Halt. The man raised an eyebrow, watching as his apprentice leaned tiredly against a tree.

Halt opened his mouth to tell the apprentice to get off his lazy butt, but paused as he saw how tired the boy looked. He turned back to the fire, putting a pot over the flames. He hoped there was nothing too wrong with his apprentice. There was no time for one of them to get sick.

NO TIME

Will blinked his eyes open blearily, his head pounding like a drum. He quickly shut his eyes again as bright, golden sunlight assaulted his vision. He took a deep breath, his throat and chest burning as cool air poured into his lungs.

"Will?" a voice called from behind him. The apprentice sat up, opening his eyes again and looking around the clearing.

Halt was coming towards him from his place by the fire, and Will could have sworn a look of worry flashed across his mentor's face.

"I'm okay," Will said quickly, coughing again as his throat burned in protest.

Halt raised an eyebrow. "You look terrible. And you probably have a fever."

Will shook his head, climbing to his feet. "I am fine!" he protested. "Just a bit tired, that's all."

"And that is why you are swaying every time a gust of wind blows by?" Halt asked the boy, who was trembling with the effort of keeping his body upright. Will sighed defeat, shivering as cold air brushed across his face.

"Come on. We are going home," Halt said, picking up the apprentice's bedroll for him and calling the horses over to where they both stood.

"Wait, what?" Will asked as his foggy brain processed what Halt had just said. "We can't go back! What about the mission?"

Halt shook his head, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Will apprentices ever change?" he muttered to himself. "You are sick, Will. Crowley's little mission can wait. Now mount up! I don't want you getting any more ill than you already are!"

Will complied, climbing onto Tug's back and leaning against the horse's neck, exhausted for a moment. Tug looked back at him as he straightened up, his eyes accusing.

"What?" Will muttered fondly as they set off back towards the cabin.

NO TIME

"Will!" Halt called, pulling lightly at Abelard's reins, the horse stopping. "Let's stop for lunch."

Will nodded, swinging his leg over Tug's side. The world seemed to tilt for a moment, and he slipped to the ground, crashing onto the snow with a thud. He squeezed his eyes shut against the nausea that assaulted him. He felt a hand grip his arm, pulling him out of the cold snow.

When the apprentice next opened his eyes, he was leaning against a tree, a thick blanket wrapped around his trembling shoulders. Halt was digging through his pack, pulling out dried meat and stepping closer to Will.

"Here," he said gruffly, pressing the food into Will's palm.

Will shook his head, another bout of nausea making his stomach churn. "Not hungry..."

"At least eat a little," Halt responded gruffly. He watched the apprentice eat the meat, satisfied when Will finally finished it off. The feeling of relief was soon replaced by worry when Halt looked up into the sky, seeing the dark grey clouds that gathered ominously around them. "We have to get going soon. Rest for now..."

As soon as he said this, thick snowflakes began to fall, and Halt realized that they had no time to pause. They had to get started now, or risk getting stuck in a snowstorm.

"Nevermind, we have to get going," he told his apprentice, lifting the boy to his feet and helping him mount Tug. Will could barely hold himself upright, his hands grasping Tug's mane so tightly, his knuckles turned white.

Halt mounted Abelard, nudging him into a canter, Tug following close beside them. It was a race against time now, Halt realized.

NO TIME

"Halt," Will called weakly behind him, trying to pull Tug to a stop. His hands slipped from the reins, but the shaggy horse understood his master, his hooves sliding a bit in the ice as he halted in his tracks. "Halt," Will said again, his master coming up beside him.

"Will?" Halt asked, not trying to hide his worry. He could barely make out the apprentice through the thick snow, white flurries clouding his vision. "What's wrong?" he asked, not attempting to hide his worry. He dismounted quickly, stepping over to the apprentice.

"I... I think I'm..." Will didn't finish his sentence, leaning over the side of Tug's neck and gagging. Halt quickly pulled Will down from the horse, the boy falling to his knees in the snow as he heaved again. Halt rubbed slow circles on Will's trembling back, trying to block his apprentice from the roaring wind.

Will wiped his mouth, his eyes looking up to Halt as he shivered. "H-halt..." he coughed. The grizzled ranger brushed the damp hair of off Will's forehead, alarm shooting through him when he felt the heat radiating off of Will's skin.

"Come on," Halt said, lifting the boy off the snow and helping him mount the horse again.

Halt led them on foot, fighting against the wind and snowfall. He could hear coughing from behind him, but he kept walking, knowing that they couldn't afford to stop. They would either reach the cabin or die trying.

NO TIME

They would come upon the cabin any time now, he thought to himself as the wind whistled around his head, making his gray-green cloak billow around his body. He could no longer hear Will coughing behind him, but he didn't' have time to check to see if the apprentice was still breathing. He had to press on.

He stumbled out into a clearing, his heart leaping with joy when he saw a small building covered in snow.

He pushed on with new vigour, leading Tug and Abelard to the stable and shoveling the snow aside from the door, pushing against the wood with all of his might in order to get the heavy door to swing open against the snow. He quickly pulled Will off of Tug, Holding the apprentice in his arms.

"I'll be back to take care of you in a minute," Halt told the horses. "Right now, Will needs me."

Abelard snorted, as if he understood what the ranger had said. Halt hefted the boy up into his arms, opening the door to the stable and stepping out into the gusting wind again. The cabin door was mostly clear of snow, and Halt sighed in relief, pushing the door open and stepping quickly inside.

He slammed the door shut, carrying Will over to the nearest couch and setting the boy on it. The air inside the cabin was considerably warmer, the cold wind howling outside, rattling the windows ferociously, trying to enter the warm building.

Halt started up a fire, the dark shadows shrinking as the flames licked up the wood greedily. Red light bathed the room, and Halt went back over to Will, placing a hand on the boy's hot forehead. His mind went blank for a second, his heart pounding as he looked down upon the shivering figure sprawled on the couch.

He took a deep, calming breath, realizing that panicking was doing his apprentice no good. He needed blankets, a bucket of water, and rags.

"Be right back," he muttered to the unconscious form as he stumbled into his bedroom, grabbing all of the blankets he could and bringing them back to where Will was lying. He wrapped the boy in a cocoon of blankets before he grabbed a bucket and stepped outside, filling it quickly with snow.

After he had done this, he set the bucket by the fire to melt the snow and then grabbed a few rags, beginning to bathe Will's face with the melting snow.

"Only you could remain so bloody hot in a snowstorm," Halt growled.

Will's eyelids fluttered as he said this, the boy blinking his eyes open, a grimace of pain on his face.

"'Halt," Will moaned. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Halt asked. "You got sick on the way to meet Crowley and we had to turn around..."

Will let out a weak smile, nodding his head and making himself wince. "That would explain why it feels like a herd of horses are pounding around inside my head," Will whispered.

Halt nodded and Will closed his eyes, falling into a restless sleep.

NO TIME

"You don't look any better than you did yesterday," Halt commented a few days later. The snow storm had passed, leaving the cabin and it's surroundings covered in a thick, white blanket. "If you don't improve soon, I will have to go get a physician."

Will was sitting on the couch, propped up by pillows, a cup of water resting in his hands. "I don't feel any better than I did yesterday," Will groaned. His headache was pounding, his muscles aching and his stomach lurching every time he moved.

Halt took a sip from his mug, as he studied the boy worriedly. "Can I have some coffee?" Will asked his mentor hopefully, spotting the mug. Halt shook his head, standing up.

"No, but I can make you some tea," Halt said, standing up and making his way to the kitchen. Will wrinkled his nose up.

"Tea?" he groaned.

"Yes," Halt said. "Tea. I don't want to pump your body with sugar and caffeine. You can survive one day without your precious coffee."

With that, Halt turned his attention towards the task of making a cup of tea, wondering when his apprentice had become so addicted to coffee. He supposed he had only himself to blame for that.

Will pulled the blankets tighter around him, wishing that the fire wasn't so bright. He closed his eyes, every sound from the kitchen making him feel as if a knife was driving it's way into his skull.

Halt came back into the sitting room, a mug of steaming tea resting in his hands. He noticed the pained look on Will's face with a flash of worry.

"Will?" Halt asked, and the boy moaned. "What's wrong? What can I do for you?"

"Head..." Will said through clenched teeth.

"Can you open your eyes for me?" Halt asked, setting the tea down. Will gave one, tiny shake of his head, whispering, "Light... hurts..."

"Ok," Halt said. "Why don't we go to your room where there is no fire..." Halt helped Will to his feet, guiding him through the hallway and into his small room, which was dark, the curtains pulled shut against the sun.

"Do you need anything?" Halt said softly. There was no answer from his apprentice, so Halt exited the room, shutting the door as silently as he could. He knew that all he could do was wait the sickness out.

NO TIME

Will rolled over, throwing the blanket that was wrapped around him onto the floor. He almost missed feeling cold now, sweat dripping off his brow as wave after wave of heat passed through him.

"Can we open a window or something?" Will croaked miserably.

"Sweating is good," Halt commented, standing up and pouring Will a cup of water. "It means your fever is breaking..." Halt paused and raised an eyebrow as Will rolled his eyes. "Plus, I am quite comfortable," he added as an afterthought.

Will rolled his eyes and sipped his water, resisting the urge to dump the cool liquid on his head. "When can I start training again?" he asked after a few moments.

Halt raised an eyebrow. "Your questions tell me you are feeling better," the ranger growled. "And you won't leave that bed until I say so."

"When will that be?" Will asked innocently.

Halt gave his apprentice a look that would make grown men cry and then stood, stepping out of the room. He was about to shut the door behind him when he turned to look one last time in the room.

"Feel better soon," he said gruffly. "We can't have you getting soft and fat." Will smiled as his mentor left the room, leaning back against the pillows, the world quiet around him, peaceful and serene, the sun slowly falling in the sky, bathing the cabin in darkness.

* * *

**A/N: So that was a lot harder to write than I thought it was. I kept having to erase little sections of the story because Halt kept sounding OOC and it was really starting to frustrate me. But I had to get some of the angst out of my system.**

**I just realized how long that chapter was! Wow... XD**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that one shot. Next up will be 'Trouble Lurking'. As always, I accept requests.**

**Please drop me a review and let me know what you thought. XD**

**Live long and prosper.**

**-Dawn **


	25. Trouble Lurking

**A/N: OH. MY GOSH. YOU GUYS ARE SO AWESOME. Thank you so very much for all of your kind reviews. I am so glad you are all enjoying this. XD**

**This chapter is dedicated to Lorrie the Ninja Elf, who reviewed for every single chapter in one day. YOU ROCK! XD **

**Warning: Angst... Will!whump... descriptive torture **

**Disclaimer: I don't own ranger's apprentice.**

* * *

25. Trouble Lurking

It should have been a routine mission. "In and out. Grab the documents and then leave," Crowley had instructed. Things were not turning out that way now, Will realized as he looked around, his heart thudding.

He could barely make out the figures surrounding them, pointing arrows down at the two men from the top of the hill. It had happened suddenly; one moment they had been waling through the forest and down a hill into a clearing, the next they had been surrounded.

Halt calmly looked around as if he had expected this to happen. Will turned to his mentor, waiting for instructions, but Halt shook his head slowly, signaling his apprentice to stand still.

"It's about time you all showed your faces. I have been listening to you lot stumbling through the forest for miles. Can we help you all with something?" Halt called cockily up at them. "We were just on our way to make some business transactions. We don't mean to intrude."

"Put your weapons on the ground!" A voice called out from the group of archers. Will fumbled with his bow, making a move to set it on the floor, but Halt stopped him, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder.

"Who are you?" Halt asked.

"We will not hesitate to kill you!" the voice called again. "Put down your weapons!"

Halt sighed. "This is a nuisance," he grumbled, placing his bow on the ground and throwing his knives down beside them. Will glanced over at his mentor as he set his own weapons down on the grass.

"Hands behind your back!" the voice ordered again, and both the ranger and his apprentice complied. A figure stepped forwards, his face hidden by a cowl and a thick rope coiled in his hands.

Halt raised an eyebrow as the man roughly pushed him to his knees, tying the rope tightly around his wrists. The cowled figure did the same to the apprentice, and Will nearly sprawled on his face.

"Halt?" Will asked his mentor as they were both pulled to their feet. "What's happening?"

"I wish I knew," Halt commented as they were led to a cart and pushed inside, darkness encasing them.

TROUBLE LURKING

It was late at night by the time the group of men stopped, pulling the two prisoners out of the cart and tying them against an oak tree as they set up camp.

Just as Will began to doze off, the cowled figure approached. "My name is Damien. I am sure you are wondering why you are here." Halt chose not to answer, studying the man in front of him with distaste.

"Earlier yesterday, you were contacted by your superior and ordered to collect a certain set of documents. Where are these documents located?" Damien asked.

"That is classified information," Halt said. "Now, are you going to take that hood down so I can get a better look at you?"

"In good time," the man snarled. "You can either do this the easy way or the hard way. Tell me where the documents are and I may spare your lives."

Halt snorted indignantly, rolling his eyes and giving his apprentice a small smile. "This is obviously going nowhere," Halt commented. "Why do you want to know where the documents are?"

"I have a particular interest in keeping the contents of that document a secret," the man said after a moment, his hands going up to the hood around his face and pulling the fabric down, revealing his features to his prisoners.

Damien was old, his gray hair long and tangled. His icy blue eyes seemed to stare through their bodies straight into their souls, his wrinkled face sinister and threatening. A scar ran from the top of his ear down his jaw.

"Well, you're a pretty thing," Halt goaded, and the man gave the ranger a vicious kick.

"Shut up!" he snarled, striding away from the two. Will watched him go silently, eyes wide.

"Are you okay?" Will asked, turning to look at the grizzled ranger worriedly.

"Fine," Halt commented. "He kicks like a girl."

Will looked at his mentor seriously. "You've obviously never been kicked by Alyss then."

They were both silent for a few moments before Halt spoke softly.

"He is not going to stop until he gets the information he wants." Halt paused, watching Will's face closely. The boy looked pale, nervous and Halt suddenly cursed Crowley for sending them on this stupid mission. Will was still just a boy! He didn't deserve this. "They will torture us, maybe even kill us."

Will nodded, attempting a weak smile, but failing miserably.

They fell silent, both feeling the trouble lurking around the corner, waiting to strike like a cat stalking its prey.

TROUBLE LURKING

Will must have fallen asleep, for the next thing he was a aware of was a sharp pain in his side as a boot connected with his ribs. He gasped in pain, struggling to get away.

"Good morning," a voice snarled at him. "Ready to tell me where these documents are?" Damien stood in front of them, his nose wrinkled in distaste.

Halt let out a small laugh. "Never," he said.

"The hard way, then," the man said, bending down until his face was mere inches from Will's own. He began to untie the rope around Will's body, releasing the apprentice from his bonds.

Will immediately began to struggle, lashing out and managing to smash his fist into Damien's face.

He made a move towards Halt but was not fast enough, his breath knocked out of him as a fist sent him thudding into the dirt, a foot pressing into his back.

"No, we will have none of that," Damien said calmly, putting a bit more pressure on the apprentice before releasing.

Will gasped as air rushed back into his lungs, barely aware of Halt speaking beside him.

"Leave him alone! He is just a boy!" Halt snarled.

Damien raised an eyebrow, and Will shuddered. "Why should I? He is the most likely to break first, and I honestly have no time to sit around waiting."

Halt struggled to pull his wrists free as he saw a man approach, a bag grasped in his hand. Damien took a step forwards, accepting the bag, and digging inside it for a moment before pulling out a large, metal rod.

He put the rod over a nearby fire, and Will's heart began to thud in terror. He sat up, pushing himself away. Damien rolled his eyes. "Restrain him, would you, Marcus?" he asked, and the burly man pushed the apprentice back into the dirt.

Damien pulled the rod from the fire, the once silver metal now glowing red with heat.

"Tell me where the documents are," he said, holding the rod close to Will's bare face.

"No," Will responded, taking a breath to calm himself.

"Tell me where they are."

Will could hear Halt shouting from behind him, could feel the heat radiating off the metal rod. He looked up defiantly at Damien.

"I don't think I will," he growled.

Damien pulled the rod away from Will's face for a moment, gesturing towards Marcus. The burly man nodded, and then pressed a knife to Will's chest. For a moment, Will thought that Marcus was going to kill him.

Instead, the man cut away Will's shirt, leaving his chest exposed. Will shuddered, trying to move his body away from the red-hot metal, the grip on his arms tightening as he struggled.

Pain erupted on his chest as the poker connected with his skin, the smell of burning flesh beginning to waft through the air. He was aware of nothing but the pain, his vision going dark around the edges as he slumped into the dirt.

It was a few moments before he became aware of himself again, his chest throbbing and his vision cloudy.

"Tell me where they are." The man was so close to him, he could feel warm breath tickling his ear.

Will clenched his teeth shut, staying silent. The pain came over him again, his mind going blank as he screamed. Time lost its meaning after that, his entire world filled with endless agony that ripped through his soul like a dagger.

He nearly cried with relief as he felt himself slipping into darkness.

TROUBLE LURKING

Halt watched events unfold in front of him, angry that he felt so helpless, that he couldn't do anything to save his apprentice from the torture.

He didn't know when he started shouting at Damien, screaming at the man to stop. Halt pulled at the ropes binding him until his wrists bled, crimson rivers running down his arms and dripping onto the dust below him.

"Stop it!" he cried again as he saw Will slump to the ground, finally safe from the pain in the deep, dark folds of unconsciousness.

Damien turned to Halt, raising an eyebrow at the ranger mockingly. "And why should I stop? He will break soon enough."

"No he wont," Halt growled angrily, wishing with all of his heart that he was close enough to spit into the man's scarred face.

"Why do you think that?" Damien said, his face splitting into an amused smile, his eyes coldly fixed at the boy at his feet. "He is just a whelp..."

"He wont break because I will tell you where the documents are."

TROUBLE LURKING

Will blinked awake slowly, his thoughts muddled and his chest flaring with pain. He tried to push himself up, and moaned as the pain grew more intense with every movement.

"Will?" He turned to the side, eyes making out his mentor in the darkness of the cart.

"What...?" he asked. "Where are we going?"

"You don't remember?" Halt asked, his voice not showing how worried he was.

"I remember," Will said, wincing. "I meant, why are we in the cart again...?"

Halt was ominously silent and Will felt the feeling of dread grow inside of him.

"I told them where to go," Halt said after a moment and Will was stunned, unable to speak for a few seconds.

"You... you told them where the documents are?" he asked, his voice breaking slightly.

"Don't be foolish, of course not," Halt said. "I told them the wrong location. Little do they know, they are headed in the opposite direction of the documents as we speak."

Will let out a weak, relieved grin, slumping back against the wood planks of the cart. The relief was short lived as he came to a realization.

"Halt?" he asked. "What will happen once they discover that the documents aren't there?" And suddenly, his heart was pounding, the burns on his chest flaring with pain.

"They wont hurt you again," Halt growled, wishing he could scoot closer to Will, but unable to because of the rope that bound him. "I wont let them... Now, get some rest Will. We have a lot to do tonight."

Will looked at Halt in confusion, and Halt continued. "Tonight, we are going to escape."

TROUBLE LURKING

When darkness fell over the forest, the group stopped. Will and Halt were again tied to a tree some distance away from the campsite and a guard was placed over them.

Halt watched the camp carefully, noting where every fire was located, where every tent was set up. It was past midnight when he decided to act, nudging Will awake with his elbow.

Will glanced at the guard, who was using the tip of his pocket knife to clean under his nails, his eyes no longer on the two prisoners. He turned his eye to his mentor, opening his mouth to whisper a question. Halt quickly shook his head for the apprentice to remain silent.

Halt pulled his feet close to his body, struggling to bring his hand closer to his left boot, his wrists trembling with the strain of moving the rope. Will saw this movement and moved to help, shifting closer to his mentor to give the rope a little more slack around their bodies.

Halt finally managed to stick his hand inside the boot, fingers searching around his foot for a moment until they grasped a small object. He brought his hand up, and Will could see a small pocket knife griped in the rangers fist.

Halt twisted his wrist upwards, slowly sawing at the rope, eyes focused on the task at hand. Will watched the guard closely, begging him in his mind not to look up.

One of the coils broke and Halt moved to the second, his wrists aching as he twisted the joints at an odd angle. Soon, the coil of rope fell away from his body and Halt slowly turned to Will.

He was about to start working at his apprentice's rope, but Will shook his head, eyes going to the guard. Halt nodded and then blended into the shadows.

"Hey..." the guard was looking up at him now, brow wrinkled in confusion as he saw the boy sitting alone. "Where did he go?"

Will looked up at the man innocently. "Who?"

"The ranger!" The guard frantically looked around the campsite, eyes searching for Halt unsuccessfully.

"What ranger? I think you were seeing things... It's only me here," Will said, making the guard turn towards him in confusion. It was then that Halt struck from the shadows, knocking the man to the ground and quickly moving towards Will.

"We don't have much time," he muttered, cutting the ropes away. Will stood, swaying as his vision blurred for a moment, his chest flaring with pain. He shivered as the air brushed his exposed skin, suddenly wishing that his shirt hadn't been taken from him.

Halt led the apprentice into the woods, trying to get as far away from the camp as he could. Light was tinging the sky when Halt noticed the pale look on Will's face.

"We can stop here for a bit," he said gruffly, turning to the apprentice. "Sit down so I can bandage those burns up."

Will was only too happy to comply, slumping to the ground tiredly. Halt ripped the bottom of his shirt, carefully wrapping Will's chest, aware of every sound in the forest, constantly on guard.

After he had finished, he stood straight, eyes looking up at the rising sun. "Come on," he growled after a moment. It was nightfall by the time they reached the city.

Halt was sore, tired, hungry, and worried about his apprentice. "I swear, if I get my hands on Crowley any time soon, he wont live to see another sunrise."

* * *

**A/N: Eh... I don't really like this chapter... Sorry if Will seemed a little weak in this. I was imagining him as the young, naive apprentice. And Halt was getting really sassy as I was writing this chapter. Gosh Halt, sass will get you nowhere when you are kidnapped. XD **

**So I actually had another idea for this chapter, but I started writing it and I realized it was going to be too long. So I decided I am going to post it as another Ranger's Apprentice fanfiction! YAY! Expect it to be up in a week or two.**

**I just realized that I am 1/4 of the way there... I can't believe I actually made it this far! **

**Thank you all for the support. Next chapter is 'Tears'. Who do you want me to make cry? **

**Live long and prosper! (Yep, I'm still a trekkie to whoever was wondering. XD Spock is the best!)**

**-Dawn **


	26. Tears

**A/N: Two chapters in less than 24 hours? This has never happened before! My muse kept poking me with a fork, so I had to write and post this chapter today. **

**Thank you all for the support again! XD **

**Warning: Emotional angst. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's apprentice...**

* * *

26. Tears

The letter was short and to the point, giving him no time to prepare himself. He held the paper in trembling hands, eyes staring down at the words that were scrawled on the page.

We are sorry... condolences... honorable death... funeral...

The sentences blurred together as he griped the page tightly, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. His breath came in small gasps and his knees buckled, sending him crashing to the hardwood floor of his cabin.

He wasn't even aware of the physical pain as his soul tore apart, his vision fading to black.

The next thing he was aware of was a hand on his shoulder, shaking him, pulling him roughly out of unconsciousness. He blinked a few times, head pounding. He looked up to see Halt kneeling next to him, a worried expression on his face as he spoke softly. "Gilan? Are you okay?"

The younger man shook his head, sending a spike of pain through his head, his eyes watering again as he saw the crumpled letter next to his head. He had thought it had been a dream for a moment, that none of it had been real.

"Halt.." His voice cracked with pain as tears spilled down his face, creating little rivers on his pale cheeks. "My... my father is dead."

"I know, son. I know," Halt said, reaching a hand out and clasping his former apprentice. "I came as soon as I got the letter."

And then Gilan was sobbing, his breathing erratic and his heart feeling as if it were breaking into a thousand pieces. He buried his face into Halt's shoulder, the older ranger wrapping his arms around the trembling man's shaking shoulders.

"It's okay..." Halt muttered softly into Gilan's hair. "Let it out."

The light spilling through the window slowly faded as the sun fell behind the trees, the cabin now bathed in cold darkness. Gilan had grown silent, his breath evening out as he fell into the comforting folds of sleep.

Halt picked up his former apprentice, carrying him down the hallway and to his room, laying him gently on the bed. He pulled up a chair to the bedside and sat down, resolving that he wouldn't leave Gilan until he was sure the man would be alright.

TEARS

He was kneeling in the grass, his hands running through the freshly turned earth in front of him. His eyes were fixed on the gravestone if front of him, and he smiled sadly as he made out the words carved on it.

David

Father, Friend, Hero

"Good men must die, but death cannot kill their names"

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Halt standing next to him, his usual ranger cloak replaced by black mourning clothes.

"He was a good man and a good friend to me. I will miss him," Halt said, squeezing Gilan's shoulder before releasing it. The younger ranger nodded, his throat constricting as tears prickled his eyes.

"Me too," he said, brushing his hand along the cool marble headstone, feeling the hard, polished rock underneath his fingertips.

"You take as long as you need," Halt said, turning and giving Gilan privacy once more.

"Good men must die, but death cannot kill their names," Gilan read aloud softly. "I thought you might like that quote, father..." He cleared his throat, pausing for a few moments. "I will never forget all of the things that you did for Araluen... for me. I'm going to miss you..."

He slowly stood up from his kneeling position, brushing off his hands and making his way over to where Halt stood. The grizzled ranger smiled at him, leading him over to where the horses were waiting.

"It will be okay," Halt said and Gilan smiled at his former mentor.

"Yeah," he said as the rode away from his father's grave. Gilan glanced one last time at the headstone before turning and facing forward... because that was what he had to do now. Face forward and push on.

* * *

**A/N: Hmm... that didn't turn out like I expected it to. I hope you liked it! XD **

**Many of you wanted to see Gilan crying so I spent a little bit chewing on the idea. **

**The quote that was on David's headstone is a popular proverb. I don't own it... I didn't make it up. I just saw it online. XD**

**Next up is 'Foreign'. What should I do for that one?**

**-Dawn **


End file.
